Ukrainian and Russian authorities have carried out on Tuesday a new exchange of 120 prisoners of war, in the framework of the invasion unleashed on February 24 by order of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Andrei Yermak, advisor to the Ukrainian Presidency, has detailed that 60 Ukrainian soldiers have been released during the day, including 34 «defenders of Mariupol», as reported by the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform.
«It is the best news on a holiday, because the heroes must be alive. Our Armed Forces fight for this, including the battle of life,» he said. Ukraine celebrates Armed Forces Day on Tuesday.
For its part, the Russian Defense Ministry has confirmed the release of 60 Russian servicemen detained in Ukraine and stressed that all of them will be flown to Moscow «for treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions of the Defense Ministry.»
«All those released are receiving the necessary medical treatment and psychological assistance,» he said, as reported by the Russian news agency Interfax. The exchange comes after another one materialized on December 1, while several similar exchanges were recorded in November.