Another nine Russian soldiers were freed from captivity following talks between Moscow and Kiev, the Defense Ministry said on Saturday. The servicemen will now be flown to Moscow for rehabilitation, according to the military.
While in Ukrainian captivity, the soldiers faced “grave danger,” the ministry stated, adding that they “are now receiving all necessary medical and psychological aid,” the statement read.
Earlier, the acting head of the Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, said that Russia and Ukraine swapped nine prisoners of war, without providing any further details.
Kiev claimed it returned 12 people – nine soldiers and three civilians, with one man who was considered “missing” among them. According to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andrey Ermak, the group included two officers and seven privates.
Saturday’s swap is the latest in a series of exchanges in which more than 100 Russian soldiers have returned home this week. On Thursday, Russia and Ukraine swapped 50 POWs after exchanging 35 the day before. In early November, each country released 107 captured personnel.