Volodymyr Zelenskyy says 5 Ukrainians released by Belarus in US-brokered deal

In this grab from a video provided by the Press Service Of The President Of Ukraine. (AP)

Five Ukrainians were among the prisoners released by Belarus in a US-brokered deal on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, expressing gratitude to Washington for aiding their release.

“Thanks to the active role of the United States and the cooperation of our intelligence services, about a hundred people, including five Ukrainians, are now being released,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.

“We are assisting our American partners to ensure that Ukraine receives the appropriate assistance.”
Zelenskyy said he had told his intelligence services to prioritise agreeing on a new release of Ukrainian POWs held by Russia before the new year.

Russia and Ukraine have conducted regular prisoner swaps since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.