Russia and Ukraine conduct third prisoner exchange of 2025

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported the return of 175 Russian servicemen from Ukrainian-controlled territories. In exchange, Ukraine received 175 prisoners of war, along with 22 severely wounded soldiers.

"All Russian servicemen are now on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, where they are receiving the necessary psychological and medical assistance," the Russian military stated.

The ministry also acknowledged the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for their humanitarian mediation efforts in facilitating the exchange.

The last prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine took place on February 5, when 150 soldiers were returned to each side. The UAE also acted as a mediator in that exchange.

The decision to conduct the March 18 exchange was first announced by Putin during his phone conversation with Trump. According to the Kremlin, as a gesture of goodwill, Russia also agreed to hand over 23 severely wounded Ukrainian servicemen who had been receiving treatment in Russian medical facilities.

Zelensky confirms POWs exchange

President Zelensky later confirmed the exchange, stating that he had been informed by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (GUR).

"I knew about it. This was a pre-planned exchange," Zelensky said during an online briefing.

Following the negotiations, Putin agreed to halt strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure for 30 days. The Kremlin confirmed that the Russian president had already issued the corresponding order to the military.

In response, Zelensky stated that Ukraine has always supported a moratorium on attacks against energy facilities but noted that Kyiv will "prepare and announce its response" after receiving details of the negotiations from Washington.

Details

A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war in custody for a range of legitimate and illegitimate reasons, such as isolating them from the enemy combatants still in the field (releasing and repatriating them in an orderly manner after hostilities), demonstrating military victory, punishing them, prosecuting them for war crimes, exploiting them for their labour, recruiting or even conscripting them as their own combatants, collecting military and political intelligence from them, or indoctrinating them in new political or religious beliefs.