Ukraine Secures Release of 84 Prisoners in Latest Exchange with Russia

Ukraine has brought home 84 prisoners of war (POWs) in its latest exchange with Russia, officials confirmed on Thursday. The group included 33 soldiers and 51 civilians, one of whom had been in captivity for more than 4,000 days—over a decade.

According to the Ukrainian state committee responsible for POWs, the swap also freed a primary school teacher who had been captured by Russian-backed separatists in 2019.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared on social media that several of the civilians released had been held since 2014, 2016, and 2017. He also highlighted the return of military personnel, including defenders of Mariupol, a city that became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance.

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Despite ongoing fighting, Ukraine and Russia have continued regular prisoner swaps during the 3.5-year-long war. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has successfully brought back over 5,000 POWs.