Historic Prisoner Swap: Russia and Ukraine Exchange 175 Captives

Russia and Ukraine have conducted one of the largest prisoner swaps of their ongoing conflict, exchanging 175 captives. The exchange included severely wounded soldiers and those prosecuted on fabricated charges. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to teams for their efforts and emphasized ongoing support for liberated servicemen.

In a significant development, Russia and Ukraine announced on Wednesday that they have each swapped 175 prisoners, marking one of the largest exchanges in the conflict thus far.

Among those released were severely wounded soldiers and fighters who had been prosecuted by Russia on what were described as fabricated charges. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the successful exchange and highlighted the return of soldiers, sergeants, and officers who had fought valiantly for their country's freedom across various military branches.

The exchange, which had been planned before recent high-level discussions, reflects ongoing diplomatic efforts. President Zelenskyy acknowledged the work of the Ukrainian negotiation team and international partners like the UAE for their facilitation. All released Ukrainian servicemen will receive immediate medical and psychological aid as they return to their homeland with honors.

(With inputs from agencies.)