Many seriously injured

Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners of war

"Ukraine is constantly working to return its population to their homeland. And we won't stop until we get them all back," Selensky wrote on Telegram.(Bild: Zelenskiy / Official)

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged a total of 50 prisoners of war. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, civilians were among them.

"25 Russian soldiers were returned from the area controlled by the Kiev regime," the Russian Ministry of Defense explained on Telegram on Wednesday. The Russian soldiers are currently in Belarus, where they received the "necessary psychological and medical assistance" before their return, it added. In return, 25 Ukrainian soldiers had been handed over.

Selensky confirmed the exchange of prisoners in a post on X, but stated that civilians were among them. According to Selenskyj, some of the people had fought at the Azovstal steelworks in the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which was captured by Russia in May 2022. Others were captured in the Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.

"Many of them have serious injuries and illnesses, they will receive all the necessary medical care," explained the Ukrainian president. He continued: "Ukraine is working tirelessly to bring our people home and we will not stop until we have brought all our people back."

United Arab Emirates mediated 
According to information from Kiev and Moscow, the exchange of prisoners was mediated by the United Arab Emirates. Russia and Ukraine have exchanged hundreds of prisoners since the start of the Russian war of aggression in February 2022. The mortal remains of soldiers killed in fighting have also been handed over to the other country time and again.