Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners of war
2022.09.22 06:27
Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners of war
By Kristina Sobol
Budrigannews.com – In the largest prisoner exchange agreement with Ukraine since the beginning of the war, the Russian defense ministry announced on Thursday that 55 of its soldiers had been returned to Russia.
The ministry said in its daily briefing that a military plane had brought the fighters, who were from Russia’s armed forces and its proxies in the Russian-backed separatist regions of eastern Ukraine, to Russia for health checks.
Nearly 300 individuals participated in the surprise swap, including 10 foreigners and Ukrainian commanders who had led an extended defense of Mariupol, a port city.
It was arranged by Saudi Arabia and comes just before referendums in Russia-occupied regions of Ukraine, which are likely to set the stage for Russia to officially declare its annexation of additional regions of its neighbor.
