Ukraine secures release of 197 defenders in major POW exchange

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the return of 197 Ukrainian defenders from Russian captivity, marking one of the largest prisoner-of-war (POW) exchanges to date.

According to Zelenskyy, 175 soldiers were freed as part of a direct exchange, while an additional 22 defenders were released through alternative measures. Among those returning are severely wounded warriors and individuals whom Russia had prosecuted under fabricated charges.

The released soldiers include members of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Navy, National Guard, Territorial Defense Forces, and Border Guard Service. They fought on multiple fronts, including Mariupol, Azovstal, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kursk regions.

Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Ukraine’s negotiation team and international partners, particularly the United Arab Emirates, for facilitating the exchange.

“Ukraine remembers every one of our heroes, and we will bring all our people home,” he stated, reaffirming the country’s commitment to securing the freedom of all Ukrainian POWs.