Ukrainian prisoners of war, who were released as part of a prisoner swap with Russia, walk towards the Ukrainian side at an undisclosed location. EPA.
Ukrainian prisoners of war, who were released as part of a prisoner swap with Russia, walk towards the Ukrainian side at an undisclosed location. EPA.
Ukrainian prisoners of war, who were released as part of a prisoner swap with Russia, walk towards the Ukrainian side at an undisclosed location. EPA.
Ukrainian prisoners of war, who were released as part of a prisoner swap with Russia, walk towards the Ukrainian side at an undisclosed location. EPA.

World

Europe

Ukraine wins release of 144 soldiers in biggest prisoner swap of war

Deal struck to allow release of 100 soldiers who defended Mariupol steel plant

Neil Murphy
Neil Murphy

June 29, 2022

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Ukraine on Wednesday carried out its biggest exchange of prisoners of war since Russia invaded, securing the release of 144 of its soldiers, including 95 who defended Mariupol's steelworkers, its military intelligence agency said.

Most of the prisoners were badly wounded, suffering from gunshot and shrapnel wounds, blast trauma, burns, fractured bones and amputated limbs, the GUR agency said on Telegram.

There was no comment from Russia about a prisoner swap.

But the leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine, Denis Pushilin, said it had secured the release of 144 soldiers, including its fighters and those of the Russian army.

"We handed over to Kyiv the same number of prisoners from Ukrainian armed units, most of whom were wounded," Mr Pushilin said.

Hundreds more Ukrainians are still thought to be held by Russia and its pro-Moscow separatist proxies in eastern Ukraine, but their whereabouts are not known.

Kyiv has worried about the fate of hundreds of fighters from the Azov Brigades who played a prominent role in the defence of Mariupol and its Azovstal steelworks, before being encircled and eventually laying down their arms.

The prisoner swap included the handover of 43 members of the Azov Brigades, a National Guard unit that Russia says is a dangerous far-right battalion, in a promising sign for Ukrainians hoping for the release of other fighters from the unit.

Ukrainian servicemen in a shelter at the frontline near Kharkiv. AP
Ukrainian servicemen in a shelter at the frontline near Kharkiv. AP
A Ukrainian and his puppy in the Donetsk region. AP
A Ukrainian and his puppy in the Donetsk region. AP
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, third left, is shown apartment buildings damaged by Russian shelling during his visit to Irpin on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, third left, is shown apartment buildings damaged by Russian shelling during his visit to Irpin on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP
Rescue specialists work at the site of a destroyed residential building after blasts in Belgorod, Russia. Reuters
Rescue specialists work at the site of a destroyed residential building after blasts in Belgorod, Russia. Reuters
A woman lays flowers during a demonstration against the invasion of Ukraine in front of the Palais des Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland. EPA
A woman lays flowers during a demonstration against the invasion of Ukraine in front of the Palais des Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland. EPA
A woman injured when her house was damaged by the Russian shelling sits in the yard of her house, in Bakhmut, Ukraine. AP
A woman injured when her house was damaged by the Russian shelling sits in the yard of her house, in Bakhmut, Ukraine. AP
Local residents stand next to a damaged residential building in the town of Serhiivka, about 50 kilometres south-west of Odesa, Ukraine. AP
Local residents stand next to a damaged residential building in the town of Serhiivka, about 50 kilometres south-west of Odesa, Ukraine. AP
Viktor Shevchenko stands in a crater to show its depth after a Russian shelling in the Saltivka district in Kharkiv. AP
Viktor Shevchenko stands in a crater to show its depth after a Russian shelling in the Saltivka district in Kharkiv. AP
An image taken from a video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office purports to show the moment a missile struck the shopping mall in Kremenchuk. AP
An image taken from a video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office purports to show the moment a missile struck the shopping mall in Kremenchuk. AP
People watch as smoke rises after a Russian missile strike hit a crowded shopping mall, in Kremenchuk. AP
People watch as smoke rises after a Russian missile strike hit a crowded shopping mall, in Kremenchuk. AP
Firefighters clean the rubble of the destroyed Amstor shopping mall in Kremenchuk. EPA
Firefighters clean the rubble of the destroyed Amstor shopping mall in Kremenchuk. EPA
A woman cries after the body of her husband, who was killed in the yard of an apartment building during shelling, was loaded into an ambulance in Kharkiv, Ukraine. AP
A woman cries after the body of her husband, who was killed in the yard of an apartment building during shelling, was loaded into an ambulance in Kharkiv, Ukraine. AP
Firefighters and rescue workers at the destroyed Amstor shopping mall. EPA
Firefighters and rescue workers at the destroyed Amstor shopping mall. EPA
Rescuers work at the site of a shopping mall hit by a Russian missile strike, in Kremenchuk. Reuters
Rescuers work at the site of a shopping mall hit by a Russian missile strike, in Kremenchuk. Reuters
A couple wounded by a Russian missile strike hold hands in a hospital, in Kremenchuk. Reuters
A couple wounded by a Russian missile strike hold hands in a hospital, in Kremenchuk. Reuters
People wait to receive humanitarian aid in front of a residential building damaged during a Russian attack in Borodyanka, Ukraine. EPA
People wait to receive humanitarian aid in front of a residential building damaged during a Russian attack in Borodyanka, Ukraine. EPA
Ukrainian servicemen take a bus to their positions near Severodonetsk, in Luhansk area. EPA
Ukrainian servicemen take a bus to their positions near Severodonetsk, in Luhansk area. EPA
A Ukrainian service member and a dog in the industrial area of the city of Severodonetsk. Reuters
A Ukrainian service member and a dog in the industrial area of the city of Severodonetsk. Reuters
A couple sits in front of a residential building that was damaged during a Russian attack, in Borodyanka. EPA
A couple sits in front of a residential building that was damaged during a Russian attack, in Borodyanka. EPA
Local residents receive humanitarian aid in Borodyanka. EPA
Local residents receive humanitarian aid in Borodyanka. EPA
A Ukrainian armed forces tank in Severodonetsk. Reuters
A Ukrainian armed forces tank in Severodonetsk. Reuters
Ukrainian service members walk past a damaged car in Severodonetsk. Reuters
Ukrainian service members walk past a damaged car in Severodonetsk. Reuters
A giant Ukrainian flag is held up during the benefit concert 'Embrace Ukraine' on the Museumplein in Amsterdam. The free event will raise money for victims of the war in Ukraine and the purchase of mobile X-ray equipment that the country needs. EPA
A giant Ukrainian flag is held up during the benefit concert 'Embrace Ukraine' on the Museumplein in Amsterdam. The free event will raise money for victims of the war in Ukraine and the purchase of mobile X-ray equipment that the country needs. EPA
A fire from a gas processing plant continues to burn behind a field of wheat after it was hit by shelling a few days earlier in Andriivka, in the Kharkiv region. Reuters
A fire from a gas processing plant continues to burn behind a field of wheat after it was hit by shelling a few days earlier in Andriivka, in the Kharkiv region. Reuters
An onlooker takes in the damage from overnight shelling on Kharkiv's Housing and Communal College. Reuters
An onlooker takes in the damage from overnight shelling on Kharkiv's Housing and Communal College. Reuters
A destroyed tank in the village of Novoselivka, outside Chernigiv. AFP
A destroyed tank in the village of Novoselivka, outside Chernigiv. AFP
A man decorates a toy cabin for children made from used ammunition crates in the village of Novoselivka, outside Chernigiv. AFP
A man decorates a toy cabin for children made from used ammunition crates in the village of Novoselivka, outside Chernigiv. AFP
An internal view of the Housing and Communal College building damaged by recent shelling in Kharkiv. EPA
An internal view of the Housing and Communal College building damaged by recent shelling in Kharkiv. EPA
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1970

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December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

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August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

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December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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Updated: June 29, 2022, 8:43 PM
Ukraine