Russia and Ukraine conducted a large prisoner exchange, facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, with 206 individuals being swapped in total. President Zelenskyy confirmed that all 103 Ukrainians returned were military personnel, with 82 soldiers and privates and 21 officers. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the Russian soldiers exchanged had been captured in the Kursk region during a surprise incursion by Ukrainian forces.
Zelenskyy expressed relief at the return of these soldiers, sharing photos of them wrapping themselves in the national flag and embracing each other. The UAE has mediated eight such exchanges between the two countries since 2024. This latest swap was the third since Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region in August.
Ukrainian officials announced that over 600 Russian soldiers were captured during the incursion, which facilitated the return of captured Ukrainians. The Ukrainian ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, stated that the majority of the released Ukrainians had been in Russian captivity since the start of the invasion. So far, Kyiv has managed to bring back 3,672 Ukrainians in a total of 57 exchanges.
The prisoner exchange is a sign of ongoing efforts to ease tensions between Russia and Ukraine and secure the return of individuals captured during the conflict. These exchanges have been crucial in providing relief to families and boosting morale among military personnel on both sides.
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