Russia and Ukraine conduct first POW swap of 2025 – MOD

A total of 25 soldiers have been released from captivity by Kiev following talks mediated by the UAE, Moscow has said

Kiev has freed 25 Russian soldiers from captivity as part of the latest prisoner exchange, Moscow’s Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. Ukraine received an equal number of its servicemen, it added.

All the freed Russian soldiers were transferred to Belarus, where they were provided with the necessary medical and psychological assistance as well as an opportunity to contact their relatives and loved ones, the ministry said in a statement on Telegram.

The released POWs will then be sent to the ministry’s rehabilitation centers and healthcare facilities for further treatment, it added.

READ MORE: Russia and Ukraine conduct first POW swap of 2025 – MOD

The swap deal was mediated by the United Arab Emirates, which also provided some humanitarian assistance along the way, the statement said.

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has confirmed on social media that Kiev got back 25 servicemen as part of the swap deal. He also expressed gratitude to Abu Dhabi for its “assistance in making today’s event possible.”

The most recent prior prisoner exchange between the two sides took place in late December and involved 150 Russian soldiers and almost 200 Ukrainians. Those talks were also mediated by the UAE, according to Moscow. The freed Russian POWs were also initially transferred to Belarus before returning home.

Last month, Russian human rights ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova released a list of 630 Ukrainian POWs who had been held for over a year, expressing hope for their inclusion in upcoming exchanges. She said Kiev had been reluctant to take them back.

The late December swap deal was the first in more than two months.