Russia, Ukraine complete major POWs exchange in UAE-mediated swap | N18G
On December 30, Ukraine and Russia conducted a significant prisoner swap, with Ukraine bringing home 189 former prisoners of war (POWs). President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the release, which included soldiers, sergeants, officers, and two civilians captured during the Russian occupation of Mariupol in 2022. Zelensky thanked the United Arab Emirates and other international partners for their role in facilitating the swap. The Russian Defence Ministry reported that 150 Russian soldiers were released, though there was a discrepancy in the numbers reported by both sides. Some of the Ukrainian POWs, including border guard Vasyl Neshcheret, were reunited with their families, with Neshcheret vowing to continue serving his country. Videos released by Ukraine showed POWs returning with some holding or wrapped in Ukraine’s blue and yellow flag. Meanwhile, Russia stated its prisoners were transferred to Belarus before heading back to Russia, though there was no immediate explanation for the differences in the numbers.
