Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners in first official swap since military plane crash
Source: Meduza
Update: None of the Ukrainian prisoners returned on January 31 were on the list for the planned January 24 exchange, which never took place due to the Russian Il-76 military plane crash, said Andriy Yusov, the spokesman for Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate.
Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners for the first officially reported time since a Russian Il-76 military plane, which Russian authorities claim was carrying Ukrainian POWs, crashed in the Belgorod region.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that 195 Russian military personnel were exchanged for 195 Ukrainian servicemen. The ministry did not say where or how the exchange took place.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote that 207 individuals, both “military and civilian,” had been freed from Russian captivity. He expressed gratitude to Ukrainian officials for their part in organizing the exchange. Zelensky did not provide further details.
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