The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the return of 55 Ukrainian POW soldiers. Spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said in Moscow today that they were Russian army soldiers and soldiers from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. They were taken to Russia for treatment in military hospitals.
205 Ukrainian soldiers returned
Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners on a large scale yesterday. According to Kyiv, 205 Ukrainian soldiers have returned from Russian captivity. As a result, five commanders who led the defense of the port city of Mariupol were released to Turkey.
Moscow-controlled separatists also released ten foreigners. According to their own statements, Turkey and Saudi Arabia mediated the exchange.
Medvedchuk was allowed to leave the country
Ukraine left imprisoned pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk, a confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin, to leave the country. That alone was enough to free 200 Ukrainian prisoners, said the head of the Presidential Office in Kyiv, Andriy Yermak.