Russia and Ukraine conducted another exchange of prisoners
Ukraine returned 63 Russian prisoners of war to Russia. This was announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The agency notes that the negotiation process was difficult, and the group of those released included some persons of a “sensitive category.” Their exchange, according to the ministry, became possible thanks to the mediating efforts of the leadership of the United Arab Emirates.
In turn, the head of the office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak reported in a telegram that 116 Ukrainians returned to their families. Among them are 87 servicemen. Ermak clarified that the group extradited to Ukraine includes Mariupol defenders and snipers from Bakhmut.
The head of the office of the Ukrainian president also reported that Kyiv managed to return the bodies of the dead foreign volunteers Christopher Parra and Andrew Bagshaw, as well as the body of a volunteer who previously served in the French Foreign Legion, but after the Russian invasion came to the front to fight on the side of Ukraine.
The first exchange of prisoners this year took place at the beginning of January. The parties returned 50 people to each other.
According to Alena Verbytskaya, the Commissioner for Military Rights in Ukraine, there are now more than three thousand Ukrainian military prisoners in Russia. More than 15 thousand people, including civilians, are considered missing.
The Russian side did not disclose official data about its prisoners.
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