“Every day we woke up wanting to come back, and all the other guys there thought the same,” he said. “We prayed constantly. We all have crosses and icons. Without faith, we wouldn’t have returned or survived.”

Earlier, Russia’s Defence Ministry announced that Moscow and Kyiv had carried out a “185-for-185” prisoner exchange with mediation from the United Arab Emirates.

“On 5 June, 185 Russian servicemen were returned from territory controlled by the Kiev regime. In exchange, 185 prisoners of war from the Ukrainian Armed Forces were handed over,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry added that the released Russian servicemen were initially transferred to Belarus, where they received medical and psychological assistance before returning home.

According to Russian authorities, the soldiers will now undergo further treatment and rehabilitation at specialised medical facilities in Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed the exchange, saying 185 Ukrainian servicemen and one civilian had been returned from Russian captivity. He thanked those involved in facilitating the swap, including international mediators.

The United Arab Emirates has played a recurring role in brokering prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine,

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said 185 military personnel and one civilian had been returned in the exchange. “Another 185 Ukrainian defenders are returning home from Russian captivity today. One civilian is also returning alongside the defenders,” Zelensky said in a statement.

He noted that some of the released prisoners had been held by Russia since 2022. “I thank everyone who makes this possible: the team working on prisoner exchanges and our partners,” he added.

Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed the swap, saying the returned Russian servicemen were in Belarus, where they were receiving medical and psychological support.

“After receiving the necessary psychological and medical assistance, the Russian servicemen will be transported to the Russian Federation for further treatment and rehabilitation,” the ministry said.

The United Arab Emirates helped facilitate the exchange through humanitarian mediation efforts, according to Russian authorities.

Prisoner swaps have remained one of the few areas of cooperation between Kyiv and Moscow since Russia launched its full-scale military offensive against Ukraine in February 2022.

Those were the first words spoken by one Russia n soldier to his family after being released in a major prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine on Friday. When asked by a relative, “Are you happy?”, the soldier responded, “Of course.”

Russia and Ukraine each returned 205 prisoners of war as part of the agreement, making it one of the largest prisoner exchanges since the conflict began. The United Arab Emirates reportedly mediated the deal.

The exchange led to emotional phone calls and reunions as hundreds of soldiers contacted relatives after months or years in captivity.

One family member described the atmosphere following the news of the release: “We're absolutely delighted, of course. We're all completely stunned. It's been hectic here since yesterday; we've been waiting for you and getting everything ready.”

Another relative explained how they first learned about the exchange: “We love you so much; we've been waiting for you for so long. Then I saw a text message pop up in the chatbot saying you'd been swapped. It caused quite a commotion straight away.”

One released prisoner spoke about returning home after captivity, saying: “It's an indescribable feeling: our country hasn't forgotten us and has brought us home. It's an indescribable feeling, a really wonderful one. I'm looking forward to seeing my family; I've missed them terribly.”

Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities said the returned group included members of the armed forces, national guard, and border services . Some had reportedly been detained since the early stages of the invasion.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that the released servicemen were transported to Moscow for medical and psychological assessments. Footage released after the exchange showed soldiers receiving food and making phone calls to relatives shortly after their release.

Although fighting continues, prisoner exchanges remain one of the few areas where both sides have maintained negotiations. The latest deal brings the total number of exchanged prisoners this year to more than 1,000, with officials indicating that discussions over further releases are continuing.