Russian official announces new prisoner swap with Ukraine

Russia and Ukraine are making another prisoner exchange on Monday, Denis Pushilin, the acting head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), revealed on social media. According to his statement, Moscow and Kiev will each release 110 people. 

Russia will hand over “mostly women,” Pushilin said. In exchange, 30 soldiers from various parts of Russia, including the DPR and the neighboring Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), as well as 80 civilian sailors “who were held hostage,” will be returned, he added. 

Pushilin did not provide any further details. Kiev detained dozens of Russian civilians who had been in boats that stopped at Ukrainian ports in late February, when Moscow launched its military operation. Some of them were freed after Russian troops captured the port city of Mariupol, but many others remained in Ukrainian custody.

Last week, Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Tatyana Moskalkova reported that 65 sailors could be set free soon, and that talks over their release were in the final stage.

The reported swap is the latest in a series between the two neighboring states. The previous exchange took place last Thursday and involved 20 Russian soldiers and an equal number of Ukrainian troops, according to officials from both nations.