Moscow, Kyiv swap prisoners of war as Ukraine marks 33rd Independence Day

President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena pay their tributes to the country`s fallen heroes at the Wall of Remembrance on the occasion of Independence Day of Ukraine in the capital city of Kyiv, on Saturday. Pic/AFP

Russia and Ukraine exchanged more than 100 prisoners of war on Saturday as Kyiv marked its 33rd Independence Day and the third since Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Ukraine announced that 115 service personnel were released, many of whom were conscripts captured during the early months of Russia's invasion. Among those freed were nearly 50 soldiers who had been taken prisoner by Russian forces during the siege of the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that 115 Russian soldiers, who had been captured in the Kursk region following a surprise offensive by Ukrainian forces two weeks ago, were part of the exchange. The ministry reported that the soldiers were currently in Belarus and would be transported to Russia for medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), credited the United Arab Emirates for brokering the exchange, marking the 55th such swap since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Photos accompanying Zelenskyy's post depicted gaunt servicemen with shaven heads, wrapped in Ukrainian flags.

"We remember each and every one. We are searching and doing our best to get everyone back," Zelenskyy wrote in the post.

The two sides typically meet only to exchange their dead and prisoners of war, after extensive preparation and diplomacy. Neither Ukraine nor Russia publicly disclose the total number of POWs.

According to the United Nations, most Ukrainian POWs face routine medical neglect, severe mistreatment, and even torture while in Russian detention. There have also been isolated reports of abuse of Russian soldiers, particularly during capture or transit to internment sites.

In January, Russia and Ukraine carried out the largest single exchange of prisoners of war, involving hundreds of individuals.

Ongoing Drone and Artillery Attacks

Russian forces shelled the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, killing two people and wounding four others, including a baby, according to local officials. The city is the capital of the partially occupied Kherson region.

Ukraine's air force reported intercepting and destroying seven drones over the country's south. Russian long-range bombers targeted Zmiinyi (Snake) Island with four cruise missiles, while the wider Kherson region suffered additional strikes from aerial bombs.

In Russia, the Defense Ministry announced that air defenses had shot down seven drones overnight. Five of these drones were taken down over the southwestern Voronezh region bordering Ukraine. Two people were injured in the incident. Videos shared by news outlet Astra appeared to show explosions at an ammunition depot, reportedly caused by a drone strike, though these videos have not been independently verified.

Two more people were wounded in a drone attack in the Belgorod region, also bordering Ukraine, according to regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. The Bryansk region, where another drone was intercepted, did not report any casualties.

In the Kursk region, Governor Alexei Smirnov stated that three missiles were shot down overnight, with another four intercepted on Saturday morning. Russian air defenses also shot down two additional drones on Saturday morning, one over the Kursk region and another over the Bryansk region.

Independence Day Observances

Ukraine commemorated its 33rd Independence Day on Saturday as the war against Russia reached the 30-month mark. No festivities were planned; instead, Ukrainians marked the day with solemn remembrances for civilians and soldiers killed in the conflict.

Polish President Andrzej Duda arrived in Kyiv by train early Saturday in a symbolic gesture of support from one of Ukraine's key allies. Videos posted by his office showed him being welcomed by Ukrainian officials and paying his respects at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine.

Duda's visit, his fifth since February 2022, underscored Poland's unwavering support for Ukraine as the war enters its third year. Poland, which borders Ukraine to the west, has provided arms and served as a hub for Western weapons headed to Ukraine. It has also welcomed tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees, hosting the largest number of refugees outside of Ukraine after Germany.

However, a trade dispute over Ukrainian grain that strained relations last year, along with historical grievances between the two nations, sometimes stir resentment, particularly among Poles who remember a World War II-era massacre by Ukrainian nationalists.

(With Associated Press inputs)