Ukraine and Russia carried out their largest prisoner exchange since the conflict began on February 24, according to a statement by the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry in a Telegram post on Wednesday.
The agency said 144 Ukrainians aged 19 and 65 years returned home as a result of the exchange, Xinhua reported.
According to the statement, under the swap, Russia released 59 soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine, including 43 from the Azov regiment which fought for Mariupol’s Azovstal steel plant.
Most of the released Ukrainians have severe injuries, it said.
Ukraine and Russia conducted their first prisoner exchange on March 24.
