Russia reports exchange of prisoners from Ukrainian captivity with plans for safe return and medical support
The Russian Ministry of Defense released images showing military personnel who were held by Ukrainian forces and are now being returned to Russia. A TV channel identified in the report as Russia 24 provided the footage, highlighting the return as a matter of national importance and humanitarian concern. The officials note that all one hundred fighters are to be transported by military aircraft to Moscow, where they will receive medical attention and may participate in rehabilitation programs after their long ordeal. The footage depicts the wounded and exhausted service members traveling by bus as part of the coordinated repatriation process. This sequence aligns with official statements valuing the welfare and safe repatriation of captured personnel, as reported by the defense ministry.
On the preceding day, February 8, the Ministry of Defense announced that one hundred Russian military personnel had successfully returned from a Kiev-controlled area. In tandem, another group of one hundred soldiers who had been captured by the Ukrainian Armed Forces were transferred to Ukrainian custody as part of the same exchange arrangement. The ministry described the exchanges as operating under a reciprocal plan, aiming to bring back a fixed number of personnel on both sides.
The defense ministry also stated that the United Arab Emirates had taken on the role of a humanitarian mediator in the negotiations for returning prisoners of war. This involvement signals a broader effort to facilitate complex prisoner exchanges through third-party mediation, adding a layer of international coordination to the bilateral talks between Moscow and Kiev.
Observers note that late January saw public commitments from Moscow to engage in prisoner exchanges along the lines of a 195-to-195 roster, following the downgrade in transport capacity after the crash of an Il-76 aircraft. Officials signaled a willingness to pursue dialogue and diplomatic channels, even leveraging tough negotiations, to secure the return of Russian service members. The State Duma subsequently expressed a stance that Russia was prepared to engage in the broadest possible talks to ensure the safe repatriation of its personnel.
Vladimir Saldo, who previously led the administration of the Kherson region, commented on reports of captured personnel, noting that a captured individual had indicated an intention to participate in defense efforts against Ukraine. His remarks illustrate how the narrative around prisoner exchanges intertwines with broader regional security and political messaging.