Ukraine has secured the release of 49 people from Russian captivity in the latest exchange of prisoners with Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday, Reuters reports.
The latest swap since Russia's invasion in 2022 was mediated by the United Arab Emirates, a spokesperson for Ukraine's military intelligence agency said.
"Another return of our people - something we always wait for and work tirelessly to achieve... We must bring home every single one of our people, both military and civilian," Zelenskiy said on X, announcing the 56th such swap with Russia.
Ukraine did not say how many Russians had been released. Moscow is yet to comment on the swap.
Video footage released by Ukraine from an undisclosed location showed service personnel being greeted with flowers, hugs and leaflets saying: "Thank you for enduring it all". One released prisoner held the leaflet to his heart and wept.
Ukraine said its troops had captured at least 600 Russian soldiers during the incursion, and that this would help it secure the return of captured Ukrainians.
Yermak said that some of Ukrainians released had taken part in the defence of Mariupol and the Azovstal steel plant in the southern port city, which had been under siege in fierce fighting and is now occupied by Russian troops.
