By: Manoah Kikekon
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| This handout photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service on June 14, 2025, shows Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) hugging after an exchange of prisoners at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine.(Photo by Handout / UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP) |
In a significant humanitarian move, Russia and Ukraine exchanged 84 prisoners each on Thursday, marking the latest in a series of swaps that have freed hundreds of captives this year.
The exchange comes just ahead of the high-stakes summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Alaska.
Among those released was Mykyta Kaliberda, a 29-year-old marine, who tearfully told AFP, “I’m back in my homeland. Honestly, I never thought this would happen.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the swap included both military personnel and civilians, with some detainees held since 2014, 2016, and 2017.
Notably, the exchange included defenders of Mariupol, the strategic port city that fell to Russian forces in 2022 after a brutal three-month siege.
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| This handout photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service on June 14, 2025, shows Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) hugging after an exchange of prisoners at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine.(Photo by Handout / UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP) |
Tetiana Turkoman, whose son fought in Mariupol, shared her relief: “My eldest son was in captivity for three years, four months, and two days. Thank God, we awaited him.”
For many families, the swap brought long-awaited reunions. Anastasia, whose husband Artur was among those freed, emotionally called out his name, “Artur! Artur Ivanik! My God” as she waited for his return.
The United Arab Emirates played a key role in mediating the swap, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry, which stated that freed Russian soldiers were receiving psychological and medical care.
This exchange follows three rounds of peace talks in Istanbul earlier this year, where large-scale prisoner swaps were the only major breakthrough.
In the latest negotiations, both sides agreed to exchange 1,200 POWs each, with Russia also offering to return the bodies of 3,000 fallen Ukrainian soldiers.
(AFP)