Prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia sees 100 POWs returned to each side

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners for the second time since a Russian military plane, which Russian authorities claim was carrying Ukrainian POWs, crashed in Russia’s Belgorod region.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported on Thursday that Ukraine handed over 100 Russian POWs in return for the release of 100 Ukrainian POWs. The ministry said the United Arab Emirates “played a humanitarian role in mediating” the exchange.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky soon confirmed the swap had taken place. “Another 100 Ukrainians are home, in Ukraine. National Guard [servicemen], border guards, Ukrainian Armed Forces [soldiers]. Most are defenders of Mariupol,” Zelensky wrote.