Russia and Ukraine conducted a prisoner exchange, with each side releasing 160 prisoners of war on Friday. The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed that 160 Russian service members were returned from Kyiv-controlled territory, while 160 Ukrainian prisoners were handed over in return. The exchanged Russian service members are currently receiving medical and psychological assistance in Belarus before being transferred to Russia for further care.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Telegram that the released Ukrainians had been held captive since 2022. The group includes members from various Ukrainian military branches such as the Armed Forces, State Special Transport Service, National Guard, and State Border Guard Service. This exchange marks the 76th swap between the two countries since the conflict began in 2022.
The United Arab Emirates played a key role in facilitating the exchange as a humanitarian mediator, according to the Russian Defence Ministry. The ministry also mentioned that the UAE assisted in the return of Russian servicemen from captivity through humanitarian mediation. Notably, this exchange follows a series of previous swaps between Russia and Ukraine, with the most recent ones involving 185 prisoners in June and 205 in May.
