Russia and Ukraine exchanged 115 prisoners each

DUBAI/MOSCOW/KYIV, Aug 24 (Reuters) – Russia and Ukraine exchanged 115 prisoners of war each on Saturday after the United Arab Emirates acted as mediator.

The exchange was the first of its kind since Ukraine launched a surprise attack on Russia’s Kursk region on August 6, the largest attack by a foreign power inside Russian territory since World War II.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the transferred Russian soldiers were captured in the Kursk region.

All freed Russian soldiers are now in Belarus and will receive medical treatment and rehabilitation upon their return to Russia.

The ministry thanked the UAE for its role in facilitating the prisoner exchange.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky released a picture of Ukrainian prisoners of war hugging each other, surrounded by the country’s blue and yellow flags. He said the returnees were soldiers from the Border Guard, National Guard, Navy and Armed Forces.

Item 1 of 6 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) after the transfer, in this handout picture released on August 24, 2024, at an unknown location in Ukraine, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

[1/6]In this handout photo released on Aug. 24, 2024, Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) react after an exchange amid Russia’s offensive in Ukraine. Purchase license rightsOpens a new tab

Zelensky thanked Ukrainian troops for helping to fill the pool of prisoners for exchange.

Kiev said Russia, which sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, had carved out a buffer zone in the area it used to attack targets in Ukraine.

According to Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s commissioner for human rights, 82 of the returned Ukrainians secured the port of Mariupol in 2022.

Confirming its role in facilitating the exchange, the UAE Foreign Ministry said the total number of detainees now stands at 1,788 through its mediation efforts.

This is the seventh exchange the UAE has mediated since Russia invaded Ukraine. An Emirati official told Reuters earlier that Russia and Ukraine are set to exchange prisoners following mediation by the Gulf states.

Abu Dhabi, America’s closest defense partner, has maintained cordial relations with Moscow throughout the war, to the frustration of some Western officials. It has also strengthened ties with Kiev.

UAE officials say their ability to talk to multiple international actors means they can effectively mediate between parties and improve cooperation and security.

Report by Alexander Cornwell, Maxim Rodionov and Olena Harmash; Editing by Ana Nicolasi da Costa, Kirsten Donovan

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