On April 19, on the eve of Easter, Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war. Another 277 soldiers returned home from Russian captivity.
This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"Our homes are one of the best news that can be. Another 277 soldiers have returned home from Russian captivity," the head of state said.
He noted that this concerns the return of the military of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Special Service for Transport, and border guards who were defending Mariupol and other areas in the Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhia, and Luhansk regions.
The exchange took place with the assistance of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, 4,552 people - military and civilians - have been returned from Russian captivity.
As the ombudsman specified , 246 servicemen were returned as part of the prisoner exchange, and another 31 people were released outside the exchange.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that the exchange took place according to the formula "246 for 246". Separately, as a gesture of goodwill, wounded servicemen who needed urgent medical care were transferred. Russian servicemen who returned from captivity are currently in Belarus.
Recall, earlier, Reuters, citing a source, reported that a large-scale prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine is expected on April 19, on the eve of Easter.