Russia and Ukraine exchanged 185 prisoners of war each following mediation from the United Arab Emirates, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.
The latest exchange comes almost a month after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a large POW swap involving 1,000 soldiers on each side. In the first phase, which took place on May 15, Russia and Ukraine each handed over 205 POWs.
Moscow’s newly appointed human rights ombudswoman, Yana Lantratova, is meeting with the returned soldiers in Belarus, the Russian military said in a statement carried by major news agencies.
The soldiers will be transported to Russia for further treatment and rehabilitation after undergoing physical and mental health assessments in Belarus.
Lantratova told state-run media that, in addition to the released soldiers, three families were returned to Russia from Ukraine, while five Ukrainian civilians returned home from Russia.
