With mediation from the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Ukraine have exchanged over 300 prisoners. The exchange took place on Monday between the two warring nations.
Since Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, there have been only a few agreements between the two countries, one of which is prisoner exchanges.
During this period, the two nations have swapped hundreds of captured soldiers. On Monday, Kyiv returned 150 Russian soldiers, while Russia handed over 150 Ukrainian soldiers as part of the agreement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated, “As part of the bilateral agreement, we have regained 189 individuals. Among them are military personnel, border guards, and two civilians. We are striving to free everyone detained in Russia. This is our goal. We have not forgotten anyone.”
Ukraine also reported that since the beginning of the conflict, a total of 3,956 people have been freed by Russia under such agreements, including both soldiers and civilians.
The latest exchange was facilitated through the mediation of the United Arab Emirates, as confirmed by both Ukraine and Russia.