'Shaved heads, wrapped in flags': Russia-Ukraine complete '1000 for 1000' prisoner swap, BIGGEST POW exchange in 3 years
Calling them the warriors of the Armed Forces, the Ukrainian president said that the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, and the State Special Transport Service are returning home.
Ukraine and Russia completed a "1000 for 1000" prisoner swap on Sunday (May 25), after the two parties held talks in Istanbul, Turkey, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced.
Zelensky said that the 303 Ukrainian captives scheduled to be released had been returned from Russia.
"303 Ukrainian defenders are home. The third part of the 1000-for-1000 exchange deal, agreed upon in Türkiye, has been completed," he said in a post on X.
Calling them the warriors of the Armed Forces, the Ukrainian president said that the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, and the State Special Transport Service are returning home.
"I thank the team that worked around the clock to successfully carry out this exchange. We will definitely bring every single one of our people back from Russian captivity," he added.
He also shared images of the prisoners who were released, as they were seen sharing emotional moments, hugging each other with big smiles on their face.
The prisoners were seen with shaved heads, many wrapped in flags.
Meanwhile, Russia also confirmed that the final exchange had been completed, saying on Sunday, it had exchanged 303 Ukrainian prisoners of war for 303 Russian prisoners.
“In accordance with the Russian-Ukrainian agreements reached in Istanbul on May 16, the Russian and Ukrainian sides have (over the weekend) carried out the exchange of 1,000 people for 1,000 people,” Russia’s defence ministry said.
Hours after the final exchange, Ukraine's capital and other regions came under a huge Russian drone and missile attack that killed at least 12 people, while injuring others.
Russia hit Ukraine with 367 drones and missiles, making it the largest single aerial attack in a more than three-year-long war, Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Air Force said.
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Zelensky said that Russian missiles and drones hit 30 cities and villages while urging Western partners to hit Russia with sanctions.
