On Saturday, Russia and Ukraine completed a prisoner exchange involving over 100 individuals as Ukraine celebrated its third Independence Day since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.
Ukraine announced that 115 of its conscripts were released, many of whom had been captured early in the conflict, including nearly 50 soldiers from the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that the 115 Russian prisoners had been detained in the Kursk region, where Ukraine recently conducted an offensive, and were now in Belarus before being transferred to Russia for medical care.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy credited the United Arab Emirates for mediating the exchange, the 55th since the invasion began in February 2022. Zelenskyy’s social media post included images of the released servicemen, who appeared gaunt and wrapped in Ukrainian flags. He reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to bringing all prisoners home.
Meetings between the two sides occur primarily during prisoner exchanges or the transfer of deceased individuals, with both sides keeping the total number of POWs confidential. The U.N. reports that Ukrainian POWs often face severe mistreatment, while there are fewer reports of abuse of Russian soldiers.
In ongoing conflict, Russian shelling in Kostiantynivka and Kherson resulted in multiple casualties and injuries. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted seven drones, and Russian bombers targeted Zmiinyi Island and the Kherson region.
In Russia, air defenses shot down seven drones, with reports of damage from one that hit an ammunition warehouse, though this information remains unverified.
