Russia and Ukraine swop 300 soldiers each on second day of exchange
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A Ukrainian prisoner of war celebrating returning home on the second day of a prisoner swop between Ukraine and Russia.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- Ukraine and Russia swapped 300 service personnel each on March 6, the second day of a two-day exchange, some held since 2022.
- President Zelensky confirmed the swop involved defenders from various sectors, with two civilians also released, expressing gratitude.
- The US and UAE mediated the swop, following previous talks, peace talks were postponed due to US and Israel strikes on Iran.
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KYIV – Ukraine and Russia exchanged 300 service personnel each on March 6 in the second day of a two‑day prisoner swop, with some of those released having been held since 2022 in the war.
It is the second prisoner of war (POW) exchange so far in 2026 and follows the recent round of the US-brokered peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
Kyiv and Moscow exchanged 200 prisoners of war each on March 5, on the first day of the swops.
“They defended Ukraine in various sectors – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and in Mariupol,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on the Telegram app, commenting on the second day of the swop.
“Most of them had been in captivity for more than a year, some since 2022.”
Mr Zelensky said that two Ukrainian civilians were also returned home on March 6.
The Russian Defence Ministry said the US and the United Arab Emirates acted as mediators in the exchange.
Mr Zelensky posted a video of dozens of men exiting big white buses, smiling, waving and thanking the Ukrainian border guards who greeted them.
“I am alive and healthy. It is all good. I do not have teeth,” said one serviceman talking to his mobile phone on a loudspeaker.
The previous POW swop was in early February after peace talks in Abu Dhabi earlier that month.
Ukraine hoped for a new round of talks on how to end the war at the start of March, but they were postponed after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, prompting Tehran to fire missiles towards Israel and several Gulf locations hosting US military facilities in retaliation.
Mr Zelensky said earlier this week that Kyiv was waiting for a new date for the talks from the United States. REUTERS
