 "Russia says exchanged 150 Ukrainian POWs for 150 Russians")
Russia and Ukraine have swapped 150 captured soldiers each in the latest prisoner-of-war exchange amid the ongoing war for nearly three years, The Moscow Times reported.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that Ukraine had brought back 150 troops from Russian captivity.
“All of them are from different sectors of the front. Some of the boys were held captive for more than two years,” he said in a post on the Telegram messaging app.
Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed the exchange, stating that 150 Russian prisoners had been released from Ukrainian captivity. The freed Russian soldiers are undergoing medical checks in Belarus before heading back to Russia.
Zelensky shared photos of the released Ukrainian troops, some wrapped in national flags, sitting on a bus while returning to Kyiv.
Mediation by UAE
The release was facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, the Russian Defence Ministry said.
Zelensky said in his post that the freed Ukrainian captives included soldiers from the Navy, Air Force, Airborne Troops, National Guard, Border Guard, Territorial Defence, and a police officer.
“They come from different parts of the front, but they all fought for Ukraine. Some had been held for over two years,” Zelensky said on Telegram.
Some soldiers in serious condition
Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said that among the released soldiers, some are in serious condition and will require long rehabilitation and recovery.
In 2024, 1,358 Ukrainians were released from Russian captivity. Since the start of the full-scale war, 3,956 Ukrainians have returned from Russian captivity.
North Korean troops fighting for Russia
There were reports of the deployment of North Korean troops at the frontline, fighting for Russia. Moreover, North Korean ballistic missiles have also been deployed at the border. reports indicate that North Korea has deployed approximately 11,000 troops in the Krusk region.
Ukrainian forces have conducted drone strikes against Russian oil and gas infrastructure in Volgograd and Astrakhan oblasts. These operations aim to disrupt Russian military supply lines
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