MOSCOW - Russia and Ukraine swapped 205 prisoners of war each on Friday, part of an agreement linked to a ceasefire earlier this month brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Russian Defence Ministry said its servicemen were located in Belarus, where they were being provided with necessary support. The United Arab Emirates mediated the swap, Moscow said.
Ukraine also confirmed the return of its POWs.
The warring countries agreed to exchange 1,000 soldiers earlier this month as part of the Trump-negotiated deal. The ceasefire, which ran from May 9 to May 11, was marred by reports of violations from both sides.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Lucy Papachristou Editing by Andrew Osborn and Gleb Bryanski)
Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) after a swap, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, at an unknown location in Ukraine, in this handout picture released May 15, 2026. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy via Telegram/Handout via REUTERS UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER Reuters
Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) after a swap, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, at an unknown location in Ukraine, in this handout picture released May 15, 2026. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy via Telegram/Handout via REUTERS UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER Reuters
A still image from a video released by the Russian Defence Ministry shows what it said to be Russian service personnel captured by Ukrainian forces and released during the latest exchange of prisoners of war in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict, as they pose for a picture with flags in front of a bus at an unknown location in Belarus, in this image taken from handout footage released on May 15, 2026. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS Russian Defence Ministry Reuters
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This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 1:59 AM.
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