Ukraine has brought home 175 Ukrainian soldiers in a one-for-one prisoner exchange with Russia that was mediated by the United Arab Emirates, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on March 19.
The news of the swap came after a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin a day earlier.
Another 22 Ukrainian service members returned through negotiations outside of the one-for-one exchange.
As part of the swap, Russia also brought back 175 Russian soldiers.
The recent exchange included Ukrainian military personnel who served in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Kursk oblasts, as well as thosewho defended the city of Mariupol and its Azovstal steel plant, according to Zelensky.
Among the prisoners of war who have returned are those that were seriously wounded and prosecuted by Russia for crimes they did not commit. All of them will be provided with the necessary medical and psychological assistance, Zelensky said.
"This is one of the largest exchanges. Our soldiers, sergeants and officers are returning. The soldiers who fought for our freedom in the Armed Forces, Navy, National Guard, Territorial Defense Forces and Border Guard," Zelensky wrote on Telegram.
The Ukrainian president also expressed gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for making the exchange possible.
"Ukraine remembers each and every one of our heroes, and we will definitely bring all our people home," Zelensky said.
Following a call with U.S. President Donald Trump on March 18, the Kremlin announced that it would conduct a one-for-one prisoner exchange with Ukraine. Moscow claimed that it would release 23 severely wounded Ukrainian soldiers, but only transferred 22.
Ukraine on Feb. 5 brought back 150 Ukrainian service members from Russian captivity.
In 2024, 1,358 Ukrainians were released, and since the beginning of the all-out war, 3,956 Ukrainians have returned from Russian captivity, Zelensky said in his New Year's address.
Oleg Sukhov
(Updated: )
