The largest exchange of prisoners of war since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war took place on Wednesday, prompting hopes that POW swaps will continue after they stalled last summer.
Confirming the exchange, Russia said it received 248 prisoners of war from Ukraine, while Ukraine said it got 230 of its military personnel and captured civilians back. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the prisoner exchange came about with mediation from the United Arab Emirates. Â
The exchange comes after prisoner exchanges stalled at the end of last summer, leading to regular protests by the families of POWs who demanded the exchanges resume. Many families have not heard from their loved ones since they were captured by Russia early on in the war.
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Commenting on the latest exchange, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said "our people are home."
"More than 200 of our soldiers and civilians were returned from Russian captivity. Soldiers, sergeants, officers. Soldiers of the Armed Forces, National Guard, Navy, border guards. Part of the defenders defended Mariupol and Azovstal," he said on Telegram Wednesday.
In other news, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said there is no "plan B" for Ukraine, adding that Kyiv is confident it can win the war against Russia with the military resources available to it.