Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
Russia, Ukraine Exchange Hundreds Of Prisoners
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
MOSCOW/KYIV/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Russia and Ukraine have exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates, officials confirmed.
The Russian defense ministry said it had swapped 150 Ukrainian soldiers held captive for an equal number of Russian troops.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 189 Ukrainians had returned home. Reporters witnessed freed Ukrainians reuniting with their loved ones in the country’s north.
Reporters witnessed emotional scenes with prisoners of war reuniting with their families after weeks, months, and – for some – close to three years.
“I’m euphoric; I don’t understand that I’m already free, although I’ve waited every minute, and my family waited. Unfortunately, Mariupol is lost; my hometown in which I lived for 40 years is no longer there, but my family remains alive,” a released Ukrainian prisoner said.
The 36-year-old Vasyl Neshcheret recalled he was guarding the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine when he was taken prisoner at the very beginning of the war in February 2022. He said he couldn’t believe he was free in his homeland once more and “free of abuse” from Russian captors.
COUNTRY’S FLAG
“The most important thing is that I am on my land; I saw my country’s flag and my family. This is just… the best; it’s just amazing. After everything that happened to us in Russia, after what they did to us.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the United Arab Emirates for facilitating the exchange. Worthy News also learned that the Vatican has been involved in or pressured prisoner exchanges.
Zelenskyy said that those freed from Russian captivity also included defenders of the Snake Island off the Black Sea port of Odesa, which Russia seized in the opening days of its invasion, and troops who defended the city of Mariupol, which Moscow’s forces captured early in the war after a nearly three-month siege.
“The return of our people from Russian captivity is always very good news for each of us,” Zelenskyy said. “And today is one of those days: our team managed to return 189 Ukrainians home.”
There have been ten exchanges of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine in 2024 and 59 exchanges overall since Russia’s invasion.
Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War Two has stretched on from what was supposed to be a fast-moving Russian invasion since February 2022.
US SUPPORT
The almost three-year grueling tug-of-war between the two countries has killed or wounded about a million people, according to U.S. estimates.
As the exchange was underway, outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration hurried to confirm almost $ 6 billion in military and budget aid for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month.
“I’ve directed my administration to continue surging as much assistance to Ukraine as quickly as possible,” Biden said in a statement.
“At my direction, the United States will continue to work relentlessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in this war over the remainder of my time in office,” he added.
Trump has expressed reluctance to support Kyiv’s military, saying he wants to focus on peace between Russia and Ukraine.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
A Dutch community remained in shock Saturday after a 13-year-old girl was detained following the discovery of her parents’ bodies in their home in the northern Netherlands.
Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz declared a 90-day state of emergency Saturday, empowering the military to clear road blockades after nearly 50 days of anti-government protests that have included widespread road blockades, leaving at least 14 people dead and crippling the nation’s economy.
A powerful thunderstorm system sweeping across Western Europe killed at least one person in the Netherlands, injured several others in Belgium and Germany, and caused widespread damage as nearly 190,000 lightning flashes illuminated the skies, authorities said Saturday.
Israeli strikes killed at least 10 people in Lebanon on Saturday despite a ceasefire that took effect hours earlier, officials said, with Israel claiming it was responding to attacks by the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire that was to begin Friday afternoon, Worthy News learned.
At least 10 people, including four children, were injured in a Russian strike on Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, Ukrainian authorities said Friday. In southern Ukraine, the State Emergency Service reported that one person was killed and four others were injured in a separate Russian attack on the Odesa region.
President Donald Trump signed the temporary peace deal with Iran ahead of schedule Wednesday at the Palace of Versailles in France, kicking off negotiations over a final nuclear deal.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com