Ukraine has successfully secured the release of its 157 citizens from Russian captivity.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy shared the update on X, praising efforts for the success on release of 150 military personnel and seven civilians.
“We are bringing our people home, 157 Ukrainians. Warriors from the Armed Forces, National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service, sergeants, and officers,” said Zelenskyy on X.
Zelenskyy Rescues 157 from Russia
The group includes servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including representatives of the Navy, Ground Forces, Territorial Defense, Air Assault Forces, Air Force, as well as the National Guard of Ukraine and the State Border Guard Service, who had been held since 2022.
“Today, as a result of the negotiations, the Coordination Headquarters held the first exchange of prisoners this year. On behalf of the President of Ukraine, 150 military personnel and 7 Ukrainian civilians were released from Russian captivity,” read the statement from the Military.
Ukraine has expressed its gratitude to the United States and the UAE for their assistance in organizing the exchange and return home of Ukrainian civilians and military personnel.
The Ukrainian government has also stated that those released from captivity will undergo a full medical examination, receive physical and psychological rehabilitation, and that all payments will be provided by the state.
According to Zelenskyy, the Russian government had deliberately blocked the prisoner swap process between Ukraine and Russia for four months before 5th February.
Russia Demands End to War with Ukraine
Moscow has demanded that Kyiv accept its conditions to end the four-year war.
The Russian delegation demanded the withdrawal of Ukraine’s troops from Donbas, including heavily fortified cities atop vast natural resources, as a precondition of any deal.
Russia has set conditions for a peace deal with Ukraine amid the ongoing trilateral talks between the United States, Ukrainian, and Russian officials in Abu Dhabi.
According to a report by the Russian state news agency TASS, Moscow considers the recognition of the Donbas as Russian territory part of a potential peace agreement with Ukraine.
A Kremlin source close to the ongoing negotiations in Abu Dhabi told TASS that recognition of Donbass is extremely important as the parties explore the prospects of a peace deal to end the war.
Also Read: Family of Kenyan Killed in Russia-Ukraine War Holds Memorial Ceremony Without Body
Europe Is Financing the Ukraine War Alone – Sikorski Reveals
Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, in an interview, said Europe has fully assumed responsibility for financing Ukraine’s war effort after US funding ended in 2025.
He notes that European nations have already spent around €200 billion and committed an additional €90 billion to support Ukraine over the next two years, while urging continued pressure on Russia to force President Vladimir Putin to end the war.
“We in Europe have already contributed much more to the effort of sustaining Ukraine, and now we are financing the war entirely. The US financing ended in January last year. So we’ve spent roughly 200 billion, and we’ve extended 90 billion to sustain Ukraine for the next two years,” stated Sikorski.
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