A U.S. citizen and 64 Ukrainian soldiers were released in the latest prisoner exchange between Ukrainian and Russian troops.

(picture taken from twitter)

(Central News Agency) Ukraine said today that the latest prisoner exchange between the Ukrainian and Russian forces has secured the release of a U.S. citizen and 64 Ukrainian soldiers.

Agence France-Presse reported that Andriy Yermak, chief of staff of the Ukrainian presidency, said on social media: "Fighting in Donetsk and Lugansk, especially in the city of Bakhmut ) of the 64 Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers who were defending the battle, are returning home.”

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"An American citizen, Suedi Murekezi, who is helping our people, may also be released."

Russia's state-run TASS news agency had reported Murikchi was arrested in June in the Donetsk region of Udon and charged with participating in anti-Russian protests and inciting "racial hatred".

Tass quoted his lawyer as saying that Murikzi was born in Rwanda and emigrated to the United States with his family in 1994.

Murikzi worked at a nightclub in the city of Kherson, the lawyer said, and denied that his client was a fighter.

Khson was captured shortly after Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February, and Ukrainian forces recaptured the city this fall.

Since then, the area has been regularly bombarded by Russia.

Ukrainian officials said that since the recapture of the city of Kheson, the focus of fighting has been on the Donetsk region, where Russian forces have been trying to take Bakhmut for months.

In the prisoner exchange operation, 1 American citizen was included.

(picture taken from twitter)