MOSCOW

Russia said Thursday 55 servicemen were released in the recent exchange of prisoners of war with Ukraine. 

"As a result of a complex exchange negotiation process, 55 servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Donetsk and Luhansk republics, who were in mortal danger in captivity, were returned from the territory of Ukraine controlled by the Kyiv regime tonight," the country's Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.

The liberated prisoners of war were transported to the Defense Ministry's hospitals for medical and psychological care, he added.

They were also able to get in touch with their relatives, he added.

In a separate statement, Denis Pushilin, the Russian-backed representative of Ukraine's separatist region of Donetsk, said 55 Russian soldiers were exchanged for 215 Ukrainians.

Also released was Ukrainian opposition figure Viktor Medvedchuk, who was accused by Ukraine of high treason, he said.

On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Russia and Ukraine had exchanged 200 prisoners as a result of Türkiye's mediation and diplomatic exchanges with the leaders of the two countries.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the exchange of 215 Ukrainian soldiers in a video statement and thanked Türkiye for its role.