CNN –
Ukraine and Russia each exchanged over 200 prisoners of war. Kiev described this as the largest prisoner exchange between the two countries since the war began in February 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the news in a social media post on Wednesday, announcing the return of over 200 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians from Russian captivity.
Both sides have exchanged prisoners throughout the conflict, but this is the first major exchange since August.
The group includes seven soldiers who defended Snake Island, a rocky island in the Black Sea that became a powerful symbol of Ukrainian resistance in February 2022 when Ukrainian defenders managed to repel a takeover by Russian soldiers.
Press Office of the Ukrainian President/AP
Ukrainian prisoners of war pictured after the prisoner exchange near Sumy, Ukraine, on January 3.
According to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, in addition to prisoners of war held at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, soldiers defending the besieged southern city of Mariupol and its Azovstal steel plant were also exchanged.
The video released by the Ukrainian presidency shows the released Ukrainian prisoners gathered in front of buses. Some of them are draped in the blue and white flag of Ukraine.
In a post on Telegram, Yermak called it a “difficult exchange after a long break.” The last major prisoner exchange took place in August 2023, with Yermak pledging on Wednesday to continue pushing for the release of all imprisoned Ukrainians.
In return, 248 Russian soldiers were returned from territory controlled by Ukraine, Russia said. In a Telegram post, the Russian Defense Ministry attributed the exchange to “the humanitarian intervention” of the United Arab Emirates.
The ministry promised to provide all “necessary medical and psychological assistance” to the returned soldiers, adding that they would be treated at medical facilities run by the ministry.
The UAE Foreign Ministry welcomed the successful mediation as a reflection of the friendly relations the UAE enjoys with both Russia and Ukraine, according to WAM Emirates News Agency.
The exchange marks a rare moment of cooperation in the war, which is nearing its third year and has recently seen some of the worst attacks ever committed.
In December, Russia launched its largest airstrike on Ukraine since the conflict began, killing at least 47 people and wounding over 150 others.
Shortly afterwards, Ukraine bombed the border town of Belgorod, killing 24 people, including three children, and wounding 107 others, according to Russia, in one of the deadliest attacks on Russian territory.