Ukraine-Russia swap sees POWs freed, but families still wait for news of those unaccounted for

Freed Ukrainian POWs—some held for over three years—have returned home visibly weakened and traumatised. Many had lost significant weight in captivity, with some dropping from over 100kg to just 50kg. Families gathered in Chernihiv seeking news about loved ones still missing, with no word from military officials. Some relatives believe their husbands are still alive in Russian captivity despite months of silence. This is the 66th prisoner swap since Russia’s full-scale invasion, with around 1,000 POWs expected to be exchanged. Russia has agreed to return 6,000 Ukrainian military bodies, expecting Ukraine to reciprocate. The exchange is the main outcome of recent Istanbul talks, with the process set to continue for several days. Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford reports from Cherihiv region, Ukraine. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile #Ukraine #Russia #UkraineWar #PrisonersOfWar #UkraineWar #RussiaUkraineWar #AlJazeeraEnglish