google-site-verification: googlec7193c3de77668c9.html

Russia and Ukraine swap at least 300 prisoners of war | World News

Russia and Ukraine have conducted a much-anticipated prisoner swap just ahead of the new year.

Moscow’s defence ministry said each side freed 150 prisoners of war in a swap on Monday, although Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 189 of Kyiv’s soldiers had been brought home.

It’s not immediately clear why there is a discrepancy in the numbers reported.

Both sides said the United Arab Emirates had acted as a mediator.

The Russian captives were released on Belarusian territory and are being transferred to Russia, the defence ministry said.

In a statement on Telegram, Mr Zelenskyy thanked the UAE and other partners for facilitating the swap.

“The return of our people from Russian captivity is always very good news for each of us. And today is one of such days: our team managed to bring 189 Ukrainians home,” he said.

The returning Ukrainians included soldiers, sergeants and officers from different frontline areas, as well as two civilians who were captured in the southern port of Mariupol in 2022.

Some of the freed prisoners carried Ukrainian flags. Pic: Ukrainian president's office/Telegram
Image:
Some of the freed prisoners carried Ukrainian flags. Pic: Ukrainian president’s office/Telegram

Pictures shared by Mr Zelenskyy showed dozens of men sitting in a bus, some of them wrapped in Ukraine’s national blue and yellow flags.

“Everyone has relatives and friends waiting for them at home. And it is a joy that we managed to return them. Today, another 189 families are happy,” the Ukrainian president added.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.


Source link

Views: 1

See also  Netanyahu presses importance of Rafah invasion to eliminate Hamas: 'No force in the world will stop us'

Check Also

Ex-CIA analyst predicted Iran crisis years ago – so why was Trump surprised? | World News

👉Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim on your podcast app👈 In …

Gaza boys evacuated to Britain for NHS treatment say Starmer has ‘broken promises’ | World News

Two boys from Gaza who received medical treatment in the UK have said the prime …

US says it fired missile at Iran-bound oil tanker

The US military says the vessel’s engine room was hit after the crew “ignored repeated …

Leave a Reply

Available for Amazon Prime
ad campaigns are created automatically based on each website’s content.