Ukraine and Russia Swap 200 POWs Each

Ukraine and Russia exchanged 200 prisoners of war from each side on Thursday, officials from both countries confirmed, as part of a broader agreement to release 500 captives per side amid stalled negotiations to end their four-year conflict.

The swap, the latest in a series of regular exchanges throughout the war, was facilitated by the United States and the United Arab Emirates and agreed upon during talks in Geneva last month. An additional 300 prisoners from each side are scheduled for release on Friday, according to Ukrainian and Russian officials. The returning Ukrainian servicemen included individuals captured during Russia's 2022 siege of Mariupol as well as in fighting across the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, many of whom had defended key front lines.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the returns on social media, stating, "Today, 200 Ukrainian families received the most-awaited message: their loved ones are coming home." He emphasized Ukraine's commitment to repatriating all captives, adding, "Every time our people come home, it proves that Ukraine is working to bring everyone back. No one is forgotten." Zelenskyy expressed gratitude...