On Tuesday, Russia and Ukraine conducted a significant prisoner swap, each handing back 90 prisoners of war (POWs) in an exchange facilitated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The exchange was announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, highlighting the return of service personnel from various military branches, including the National Guard, border guards, and the Armed Forces.
The released Ukrainian prisoners included 32 National Guardsmen, 18 border guards, 17 members of the Naval Forces, 15 soldiers of the Armed Forces, and eight members of the Territorial Defense Forces. Notably, among those freed were 59 defenders from Mariupol, including 52 fighters from the Azovstal steel plant resistance and five National Guardsmen who had been guarding the Chornobyl nuclear power plant.
The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the 90 Russian prisoners were returned from areas under Kyiv’s control and thanked the UAE for their role as an intermediary. The released Russian POWs were flown to Moscow for medical checks.
This prisoner exchange is the 53rd since the full-scale invasion by Russia began in February 2022. As of the end of May, approximately 3,300 Ukrainian soldiers had been freed from Russian captivity. The UAE has been instrumental in these exchanges due to its neutral stance and ability to maintain good relations with both sides.
In March, a UN report documented widespread and systematic torture of Ukrainian POWs by Russian forces, with 90% of returning Ukrainian POWs reporting severe physical and psychological abuse during captivity. This report has underscored the humanitarian crisis faced by POWs in the conflict.
The previous prisoner exchange occurred on May 31, involving 75 POWs from each side. Before that, the largest exchange took place on January 3, with 230 prisoners swapped.Â
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