Iruni Kalupahana JadeTimes Staff
I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Russia-Ukraine war
In a large exchange, Russia and Ukraine freed 175 prisoners of war each, one of the largest exchanges between them. The exchange followed a telephone conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the matter was brought up. Russia also freed 22 severely wounded Ukrainian prisoners as a goodwill gesture, both sides confirmed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy referred to the swap as a critical milestone, citing that the 22 released Ukrainians included soldiers seriously wounded and those who were prosecuted on fabricated charges. He assured that all the returning prisoners would receive instant medical and psychological care upon arrival.
The Russian Defense Ministry indicated that the United Arab Emirates played a key role in making the exchange possible through humanitarian gestures. It also confirmed that the Russian soldiers released in the deal were receiving medical and psychological care in Belarus prior to being transported back to Russia for further treatment.
This exchange is a rare case of agreement between Russia and Ukraine as hostilities continue. While the prisoner exchange is not a harbinger of termination of larger scale conflicts, it is a signal of the necessity of diplomatic channels and humanitarian interventions in addressing the consequences of war.
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