Russia, Ukraine exchange 205 prisoners each

Russia and Ukraine exchanged 205 prisoners of war each on Friday, both sides confirmed, following a major exchange agreement announced by US President Donald Trump last week.

The exchange took place as part of a broader 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner swap agreement initiated by Trump.

Russia's Defense Ministry said the United Arab Emirates provided humanitarian assistance during the return of the Russian servicemen from captivity.

The released servicemen are currently in Belarus, where they are receiving psychological and medical assistance.

They will then be transferred to Russia for treatment and rehabilitation, the ministry said in a statement on Russian social media platform Max.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Telegram that the released Ukrainian prisoners of war included privates, sergeants and officers, most of whom had been held in Russian captivity since 2022.

He said the exchange marked the first stage of the planned 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner swap.

Last week, Trump said on his Truth Social platform that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a three-day ceasefire from Saturday through Monday and a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange.

Moscow and Kyiv conducted two previous prisoner exchanges in April. The first took place during Orthodox Easter, when the sides exchanged 175 servicemen each, while the second was held on April 24, with 193 prisoners exchanged on each side.