In a successful exchange facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Ukraine have swapped 103 prisoners of war from each side. This marks the second such exchange since Ukraine carried out a surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region on August 6. The Russian Ministry of Defence announced that 103 Ukrainian soldiers were exchanged for an equal number of Russian POWs. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed relief that “our people are home” and shared the news on social media. The released Ukrainians included a mix of privates, sergeants, and officers from various Ukrainian security forces.
The prisoners, who were captured after Ukrainian forces crossed into the Kursk region last month, were returned to their respective countries. The Russian POWs were provided with psychological and medical assistance in Belarus before being handed over to Russian authorities. The UAE has acted as a mediator in several prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine, with a total of 1,994 captives being exchanged through their efforts. This ongoing exchange of prisoners comes amidst the absence of formal peace talks between the two countries since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The successful exchange highlights the continued efforts to de-escalate tensions and provide relief to those affected by the conflict. Both countries have shown a willingness to engage in periodic exchanges of prisoners through third-party mediation, demonstrating a small step towards potential reconciliation between Russia and Ukraine.
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