Ukraine welcomes back 33 soldiers and 12 civilians in prisoner exchange with Russia

(Reuters) – Russia has handed over 33 Ukrainian soldiers, including 13 officers, in an exchange of prisoners of war with Ukraine, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Thursday.

“We are also bringing home 12 civilians,” Vereshchuk wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Five of the troops exchanged on Thursday had been wounded, she said.

Vereshchuk did not say how many Russians were involved in the exchange.

(Reporting by Max Hunder, Writing by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Timothy Heritage)