Ukraine has announced the release of 215 military in a exchange with Russiaincluding the leaders of the Azovstal steelworks defense in the city of Mariupol, symbol of resistance to Russian invasion. This is the largest exchange of prisoners since the beginning of the war unleashed after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “We have managed to free 215 people,” the head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, told television. For its part, Russia has recovered 55 prisonersamong them the former Ukrainian deputy Víktor Medvedchuk, close to Vladimir Putin and accused of high treason by kyiv, has specified the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his daily speech.
Within the framework of this “long-prepared operation”, five military commanders, including the leaders of the Azovstal defense, were transferred to Turkey, Zelensky has said. They will remain in this country “in absolute security and in comfortable conditions” until “the end of the war” according to the agreement reached with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, added the Ukrainian head of state. Zelensky has also pointed out that included in this exchange is the previously announced release of ten prisoners of war transferred to Saudi Arabiaincluding five Britons and two Americans.
The White House thanked the president of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky, and the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohamed bin Salmán, for organizing an iexchange of prisoners of war with Russia that has allowed the release of two Americans.
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The United States “thanks” Zelensky and his administration “for including two American citizens in the prisoner exchange announced today” with Russia, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement posted on Twitter on Wednesday.
“We thank the Crown Prince (Mohamed bin Salman) and the Saudi government for facilitating” the operation, he also wrote. “We hope that our citizens will be reunited with their families.”
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.