Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war

Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war as part of an agreement brokered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Ministry of Defense of Russia announced that it had exchanged 150 Ukrainian soldiers who are in captivity for the same number of Russian soldiers.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky reported that 189 Ukrainians returned home.

He added that among those freed were “defenders of Azovstal and Mariupol”, Chernobyl NPP and Snake Island.

Near a hospital in the north of Ukraine, worried relatives were wrapped up from the bitter winter cold, waiting for their loved ones.

One woman, Alina, was waiting for her husband Alexander. He was captured during the defense of the city of Mariupol in 2022.

“I have so many emotions,” she said, tears streaming down her face, “it’s been so hard. I just want to see him.”

Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that the recently released Russian servicemen are in Belarus, an ally of Russia, and are being provided with medical care and have the opportunity to contact their families.

In the video published by the Russian Commissioner for Human Rights, Tatsiana Moskalkova, you can see that soldiers in military and winter clothes have gathered in front of the wagons.

“Very soon, our boys will hug their relatives and friends and welcome the New Year on their native land,” she said in the accompanying message.

It was the 59th prisoner exchange since the start of the full-scale invasion and one of the largest to date.

On the Ukrainian side, military personnel, border guards, National Guardsmen and Navy personnel were released. Many had been held captive for more than two and a half years, and Ukrainian authorities said some had returned with serious illnesses and injuries.

For some families, the agonizing uncertainty is over. But thousands of Ukrainians remain captive in Russia and in the occupied parts of Ukraine.

Officials in Kiev told the BBC that prisoner exchange talks have become more difficult in recent months – since Russian troops began making significant advances on the battlefield.

Ukraine does not publish the number of prisoners of war held in Russia, but their total number is believed to exceed 8,000.

Zelensky said that among dozens of soldiers, sergeants, border guards and officers released on Monday, there were two civilians captured in Mariupol.

“We are working to free everyone from Russian captivity. This is our goal. We do not forget anyone,” said Zelensky. He published photos showing some of the exchanged men sitting in a train car and holding Ukrainian yellow and blue flags.

In May 2022, Russia declared victory after a months-long battle to conquer the southeastern Ukrainian port city of Mariupolmoreover, the last fighters who defended the city factory “Azovstal” surrendered.

Russian troops seized Chernobyl in the country’s northwest at the start of their invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but later returned control of the plant to its employees.

Also in 2022, Snake Island in the Black Sea was captured and Ukrainian soldiers were captured, but later exchanged for Russian ones.