Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Russia and Ukraine Swap 95 Prisoners of War Each in Their Latest Exchange
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 11 months ago on
July 17, 2024

Ukraine and Russia exchange 95 prisoners of war each in their latest swap, marking the 54th such exchange since the war began. (AP/Ukrainian Presidential Press Office)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine and Russia exchanged 95 prisoners of war each, officials in both countries said Wednesday, three weeks after their last swap and as part of what have been occasional agreements to send captured troops home.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Russian Defense Ministry reported the exchange.

The POW swap was the 54th since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.

Officials from the warring countries meet only when they swap their dead and POWs, after lengthy preparation and diplomacy. Neither Ukraine nor Russia discloses how many POWs there are in total.

Zelenskyy said in a post on the Telegram messaging service that the United Arab Emirates had again brokered the agreements. The UAE has said it maintains friendly relations with both Moscow and Kyiv.

Zelenskyy posted photos of mostly gaunt servicemen with shaven heads and wrapped in Ukrainian flags standing in what appeared to be an open area of countryside.

“No matter how difficult it may be, we are looking for everyone who may be in captivity. We have to return everyone,” Zelenskyy wrote in the post.

Some Ukrainian POWs Spent Over Two Years in Captivity

Among the released Ukrainians were some who had spent more than two years in captivity. They were captured in Mariupol, during Russia’s early offensive in the Kyiv region and battles in the eastern Luhansk region, the country’s Coordination Headquarters for POWs said.

It said just over 3,400 people, both civilians and military, have returned from Russian captivity since the outbreak of the war.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the freed Russian soldiers will be flown to Moscow for medical treatment and rehabilitation.

U.N. Reports Mistreatment and Torture of Ukrainian POWs

According to the U.N., most Ukrainian POWs suffer routine medical neglect, severe and systematic mistreatment, and even torture while in detention. There have also been isolated reports of abuse of Russian soldiers, mostly during capture or transit to internment sites.

Last January, Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war in the biggest single release of captives.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

UP NEXT

Granite Park Eviction Lawsuit Heads Toward Trial

Kings County Sheriff Announces Retirement After Nearly 30 Years in Law Enforcement

15 hours ago

General Mills to Remove Artificial Colors From All Its US Cereals and Foods

15 hours ago

‘Who’s Running the White House?’ Trump Brings Back ICE Raids on Farms, Restaurants

U.S. immigration officials on Tuesday walked back limits on enforcement targeting farms, restaurants, hotels and food processing plants just...

14 hours ago

14 hours ago

‘Who’s Running the White House?’ Trump Brings Back ICE Raids on Farms, Restaurants

14 hours ago

Granite Park Eviction Lawsuit Heads Toward Trial

Mark Kismet, 50, who is considered at-risk went missing on Friday, June 6, 2025, in Clovis near Harlan Ranch is still missing according to the Clovis Police Department on Thursday, June 12, 2025. (Clovis PD)
15 hours ago

Missing Clovis Man Found Dead. No Foul Play Suspected

Kings County Sheriff Dave Robinson announced he will retire on November 24, 2025, ending a nearly 30-year career and prompting the county to consider options for his replacement. (Kings County SO)
15 hours ago

Kings County Sheriff Announces Retirement After Nearly 30 Years in Law Enforcement

15 hours ago

General Mills to Remove Artificial Colors From All Its US Cereals and Foods

15 hours ago

US FDA to Shorten Review Time for Drug Developers Under New Voucher Program

15 hours ago

Physician Warns Fresno County Supervisors About Jail’s Medical Provider, Private Equity Co.

15 hours ago

Houthi Official Says Group Will Intervene to Support Iran Against Israel

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend