Russia and Ukraine announced on Saturday a new exchange of prisoners of war 63 Russian military personnel, among them some of «outstanding importance» are already on their way back to Moscow-controlled territory, while Ukraine confirmed the return of 116 captured as well as the remains of a British and a New Zealand volunteer who died during the conflict.
«As a result of a complex negotiation process, 63 servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation were returned from Kiev-controlled territory of Ukraine,» the Russian Ministry announced, including among those released «individuals of outstanding importance.»
The Defense Ministry thanked the United Arab Emirates for its mediation efforts to facilitate this exchange, according to a note reported by the Russian agency TASS.
For his part, the Ukrainian presidential advisor, Andriy Yermak, has confirmed the return of 87 servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces — two of them members of the Special Forces — in addition to eight members of the Military Intelligence Service, seven of the National Guard, six of the National Police, five of the Border Guard Service, two of the Navy and one representative of the State Emergency Service.
The Ukrainian representative also confirmed the return of the remains of two deceased foreign volunteers, British Christopher Matthew Perry and New Zealander Andrew Tobias Matthew, as well as the lifeless body of a Ukrainian who served in the French Foreign Legion, identified as Yevgeny Olegovich Kulik.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)