Ukraine and Russia exchange 90 prisoners of war each
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Ukrainian prisoners of war retuning home, after an exchange of POWs with Russia.
PHOTO: X/@ZELENSKYYUA
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KYIV – Ukraine and Russia have exchanged 90 prisoners of war each in the biggest swop between the two warring sides in almost five months, officials said June 25.
Moscow and Kyiv have carried out over 50 prisoner exchanges since Russia invaded Ukraine more than two years ago, despite ongoing hostilities and both sides accusing each other of derailing talks.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) mediated the deal announced on June 25.
“Today, 90 more of our people have returned home from Russian captivity,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media.
“We remember all our people in Russian captivity. We continue to work for the release of each and every one of them,” he said.
Russia said that 90 of its servicemen “who were in mortal danger in captivity have been returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime”.
The freed servicemen will be airlifted to Moscow “for treatment and rehabilitation”, its Defence Ministry said, confirming it had released 90 Ukrainian soldiers in return
The last swop between the two warring sides was at the end of May, when they exchanged 75 prisoners each, also with the UAE’s mediation.
In February, both sides said they swopped 100 prisoners each, their first exchange since Moscow accused Kyiv of downing a plane carrying captured Ukrainian soldiers. AFP
