Ukraine and Russia announced on Monday, April 10, that they had carried out a new exchange of prisoners of war involving more than 100 soldiers on each side. This is the first exchange of its kind in more than a month.
On the Russian side, 106 soldiers will return to Moscow, the Russian Defense Ministry said. According to him, they were “in mortal danger” while in custody. They will receive medical care and psychological assistance.
For his part, Andriï Iermak, the head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, announced the return of 100 soldiers to Ukraine. “We are repatriating 100 of our men. They are soldiers, sailors, border guards and members of the National Guard,” he said, referring to a “difficult” exchange. “Some people have been seriously injured and are suffering from illnesses. We will do everything necessary to ensure that each of them receives all the necessary help,” he added on Telegram.
The last exchange of prisoners between kyiv and Moscow dates from March 7, when Ukraine had recovered 130 of its soldiers and Russia 90.
In December 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that more than 1,300 prisoners had been repatriated by kyiv during exchanges with Russia since the start of the war. Several other exchanges have since taken place.