Russia, Ukraine exchange 193 servicemen each in latest prisoner swap

Russia and Ukraine on Friday conducted their latest prisoner swap, exchanging 193 servicemen each, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The UAE and the US provided humanitarian mediation in the exchange, and all servicemen are currently in Belarus and are receiving the necessary "psychological and medical assistance," according to the statement.

"All Russian servicemen will be transported to the Russian Federation for treatment and rehabilitation at Russian Ministry of Defense medical facilities," it said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also confirmed the exchange, stating in a post on US social media company X that those returned to Kyiv include servicemen from the Armed Forces, National Guard, Border Guard Service, the National Police, and the State Special Transport Service.

Separately, Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said on Telegram that the swap was a continuation of the Easter exchange earlier this month.

"We express our gratitude to the USA and the UAE for their assistance in organizing the exchange," it added.

Moscow and Kyiv last held a prisoner exchange on April 11 on the occasion of Orthodox Easter, when the two countries swapped 175 servicemen each.