More than four hundred captured soldiers regained their freedom during Friday’s exchange between Moscow and Kyiv. The Russian Ministry of Defense has confirmed the release of 205 of its soldiers, who are currently undergoing medical treatment in Belarus, in exchange for the same number of Ukrainians.
Russia and Ukraine exchanged 205 prisoners of war each on Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry said, a week after US President Donald Trump announced a potential large-scale exchange on both sides.
- Russia and Ukraine exchanged 205 prisoners of war on Friday.
- Donald Trump announced in advance the exchange of about a thousand prisoners during the temporary ceasefire.
- The released Russian soldiers are in Belarus and are receiving psychological and medical help.
“205 Russian soldiers have returned” from territory controlled by Kyiv, the ministry said in a statement on social media. At the same time, it clarified that in exchange for this, 205 Ukrainian prisoners were released.
Trump announced the exchange
Last week, when announcing a temporary truce between Moscow and Kiev, Trump announced that a thousand prisoners would be exchanged. Both sides blamed each other for violating the ceasefire, and Ukraine accused Moscow of stepping up attacks on civilians after it ended.
“Russian soldiers are currently in the Republic of Belarus, where they are receiving the necessary psychological and medical assistance,” the Russian Ministry of Defense stated. It also added that “the UAE provided humanitarian assistance during the return of Russian soldiers from captivity.”
