Ukraine and Russia announced on Monday that they had conducted a new operation to exchange prisoners of war, which included 100 soldiers from each side, in the first operation of its kind in more than a month.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that 106 of its soldiers, who were at "risk of death" while in detention, had been returned.

According to the ministry, the soldiers will be transferred to Moscow to receive medical treatment and psychological assistance.
For his part, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office , Andriy Yermak, announced via Telegram that 100 prisoners had returned to Ukraine thanks to the exchange.

"We have recovered 100 of our men - soldiers, sailors, border guards and members of the National Guard," Yermak said, describing the exchange process as "difficult."

"Some have been seriously injured and are suffering from illnesses. We will do whatever is necessary to ensure that each of them receives the necessary assistance," he added.

The last exchange of prisoners between Kiev and Moscow dates back to March 7. On that day, 130 Ukrainian prisoners were exchanged for 90 Russian prisoners.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in December that Russia had released more than 1,300 Ukrainian prisoners in prisoner exchanges between the two parties that took place since the outbreak of the war in February 2022.

Numerous prisoner exchanges have taken place since then.