Russia and Ukraine exchange POWs

President Vladimir Putin had previously agreed to swap 175 prisoners and return 22 heavily wounded Ukrainian fighters as a gesture of good will

Russia and Ukraine have conducted a prisoner-of-war (POW) swap following recent truce negotiations between President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump. 

The Russian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday that 175 soldiers had been returned from territories controlled by Kiev. In exchange, Moscow had sent back an equal number of captured Ukrainian troops, as well as 22 heavily injured servicemen, as a sign of good will. 

The ministry added that the exchange was mediated by the United Arab Emirates and that the released Russian soldiers are currently in neighboring Belarus. It added that they will soon be transferred to their home county for treatment and rehabilitation.

The POW swap was announced on Tuesday following a phone call between Trump and Putin. After the nearly 2.5-hour conversation, the Kremlin said Russia would suspend strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure for 30 days and declared that Moscow and Kiev would conduct a prisoner exchange.

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