The Russians are spreading a fake about the exchange of prisoners between Ukraine and Russia that took place on 3 January. The occupiers claim that the Russian side handed over only 173 prisoners to Ukraine.
Russians are spreading fake about exchange of prisoners
As noted, Russian propagandists claim that as part of the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, Kyiv was able to return only 173 servicemen in exchange for 248 Russians.
Russia reportedly received an additional 75 soldiers for the five Azovstal commanders that President Zelenskyy took from Turkey in the summer of 2023.
230 people have returned home, including 130 soldiers, 55 National Guardsmen, 38 border guards, one police officer and six civilians, SPRAVDI reports.
The Centre emphasises that with this lie, Russian propaganda is trying to cause distrust in the Ukrainian authorities and to impose the idea that the Ukrainian government "does not control the fate of prisoners".
The Kremlin spreads such fictions every time the issue of prisoner exchange arises.
Exchange of prisoners of war
On 3 January, Ukraine and Russia exchanged prisoners of war for the first time in several months. Thus, 230 defenders returned to Ukraine. This is the largest exchange since the full-scale invasion.
Among them, 130 are members of the Armed Forces, 55 are members of the National Guard, 38 are members of the State Border Guard Service, one is from the National Police, and six are civilians.
48 exchanged servicemen had the status of 'missing'. The majority of the released persons were men (225) and five women.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, stressed that 2024 marked the beginning of 49 exchanges of prisoners of war. The Ombudsman added that 2,828 defenders are now home.
The last such exchange took place on August 7. In the course of it, 22 soldiers returned home, including two officers, private and non-commissioned officers.
