Ongoing Prisoner Swaps: A Focus on the Sick and Injured
Kiev and Moscow conduct a prisoner exchange event.
It's been a while since Russia and Ukraine sat down for peace talks in Istanbul and agreed to a major prisoner exchange. Now, it's round five. The prisoner exchange took place recently, with a focus on soldiers who are either seriously ill or injured.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared the news online, writing, "Our people are coming home from Russian custody." Those released include soldiers from the army, national guard, and border troops, as per the office for prisoners of war affairs.
Most of those freed had been held captive for over three years. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the exchange and even posted pictures of soldiers waving and cheering with Russian flags. Naturally, neither side disclosed the specific number of soldiers returning home.
Initially, Kyiv and Moscow agreed on an exchange of soldiers under 25 and severely injured or ill in several stages during June's Turkey talks. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, about 900 prisoners have been exchanged so far.
The Fifth Phase's Focus on the Most Vulnerable
This exchange, the fifth phase, primarily targeted soldiers with severe medical conditions. These conditions ranged from physical trauma to chronic illnesses stemming from their captivity. The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of POWs in Ukraine emphasized the focus on bringing back those who were seriously ill and wounded.
A significant portion of the Ukrainian soldiers released were those who bravely defended Mariupol during its siege in 2022, while others fought in various regions such as Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kyiv oblasts.
More Than Just Numbers
Under the agreement reached in Istanbul, both Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war from each side, with a focus on wounded or ill soldiers and those under 25. However, the exact number of soldiers exchanged in this phase remains undisclosed.
The Road to Recovery
The coordination for treatment of POWs in Ukraine continues to focus on the medical rehabilitation of these soldiers following their release. With their return, they start the long and arduous journey towards healing and recovery.
Keeping the Momentum Going
Interestingly, another exchange occurred just a day after this one, marking the second exchange that week. These exchanges represent ongoing efforts by both sides to return wounded, ill, and younger prisoners as part of the peace negotiations, despite Russia's continued military advances and political demands.
[1] ntv.de[2] lar/dpa/AFP[3] Vague enrichment data about the fifth phase (e.g., exact number of soldiers, conditions of soldiers)[4] Vague enrichment data about the overall exchange (e.g., stages, further negotiations)
Community policy should address the health and rehabilitation needs of soldiers returning from war-and-conflicts, such as those released in the recent prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, focusing on their medical recuperation and possible employment opportunities under the general-news context.
Despite ongoing war-and-conflicts and political disputes, subsequent prisoner swaps demonstrate a focus on the release of vulnerable soldiers, emphasizing the importance of humanitarian considerations in politics, reflecting the current situation in regions like Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kyiv oblasts.
