Ukraine and Russia exchanged 175 prisoners of war each on Saturday in their latest swap, officials from both countries said, as they prepare to start a ceasefire to mark Orthodox Easter.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had brought home 175 servicemen and seven civilians from Russian captivity. He said the Ukrainian servicemen had defended the country on different fronts from the east to the south and most of them had been in captivity in Russia since 2022.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said the United Arab Emirates had mediated the exchange. Russia took back 175 servicemen and also seven civilians originally from the Kursk region, the ministry said.
Read moreRussia and Ukraine exchange hundreds of prisoners of war
During more than four years of war, Kyiv and Moscow have carried out regular POW exchanges. They are among the few concrete results to emerge from several rounds of US-brokered peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, which remain stalled over the issue of territory.
As both Ukraine and Russia celebrate Orthodox Easter this weekend, the countries have agreed on a short, 32-hour ceasefire to mark the holiday.
Read moreRussia and Ukraine set to begin Orthodox Easter ceasefire
Russia said the ceasefire would begin at 4pm (13:00 GMT) on Saturday and end at midnight on Sunday. Zelensky said he and his army chief had discussed the procedures for Ukrainian troops under the ceasefire.
“The absence of Russian strikes in the air, on land, and at sea will mean no response from our side,” he said.
“A ceasefire at Easter could also become the beginning of real movement toward peace – our side has made the corresponding proposal.”
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)
