Ukraine brings home 157 servicemen in a new exchange with Russia
Another prisoner-of-war exchange has taken place between Ukraine and Russia under the “157 for 157” formula. Ukrainian defenders who had been held in enemy captivity have returned home.
This was reported by Petro Andriushchenko, head of the Centre for the Study of Occupation, and by Russia’s Ministry of Defence.
It is noted that the agreement on the new exchange was reached during the second day of negotiations in Abu Dhabi. According to US President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, it was at that time that the parties agreed to carry out the exchange.
In addition to military personnel, three civilians — residents of Russia’s Kursk region — were returned to Russia under the agreement. According to available information, they were captured during operations by the Armed Forces of Ukraine and are currently located in Belarus.
According to preliminary data, 157 prisoners of war from the Armed Forces of Ukraine have returned to Ukraine.
Petro Andriushchenko congratulated the defenders on their return home and noted that there is currently no official information regarding the details of the exchange.
As a reminder, on 5 February the delegations of Ukraine, the United States and Russia reached an agreement on the exchange of 314 servicemen. This exchange became possible as a result of successful peace negotiations, demonstrating the effectiveness of diplomatic efforts.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that a large-scale prisoner exchange would take place in the near future. This statement followed the first day of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi involving Ukraine, the United States and Russia.
Ukraine’s Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, Rustem Umerov, also stated that the issue of prisoner exchanges with Russia remains a priority and that concrete results may be achieved in the near future.
