Russia and Ukraine have successfully exchanged 103 prisoners of war from each side, marking the second such exchange since Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region on August 6. The United Arab Emirates played a crucial role in facilitating the swap, serving as an intermediary in the process.
The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed the swap, stating that 103 Ukrainian soldiers held captive were exchanged for an equal number of Russian POWs. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy celebrated the return of the prisoners, declaring, “Our people are home.” The exchange of a total of 206 prisoners took place in the UAE’s eighth mediation effort.
The freed Ukrainians included both lower-ranking soldiers and officers from various Ukrainian armed forces units. The Russian Defence Ministry noted that the exchange involved returning Russian servicemen captured in the Kursk region in return for Ukrainian army prisoners of war.
The two countries have previously exchanged prisoners through intermediaries since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. The UAE has played a pivotal role in facilitating these swaps, with a total of 1,994 captives exchanged through their mediation efforts. One of the largest exchanges took place on January 3 when 478 captives were traded between the warring nations.
The latest exchange comes following Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region with the assistance of drones, heavy weaponry, and artillery, catching Russia off guard. The Russian POWs are currently in Belarus receiving medical and psychological support, as well as an opportunity to contact their relatives. Despite the ongoing conflict, these periodic prisoner swaps demonstrate a humanitarian effort to return captured individuals to their respective countries.
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