Russia, Ukraine complete prisoner swap with UAE mediation

Russia has repatriated 95 servicemen held by Ukraine in a recent prisoner swap mediated by the United Arab Emirates.

Russian Defence Ministry announced that "negotiations facilitated the return of the servicemen, who were deemed to be in grave danger while in Ukrainian captivity under the Kyiv regime," Caliber.Az reports.

In return, 95 Ukrainian prisoners of war were handed over.

According to the ministry, the freed Russian servicemen are set to undergo treatment and rehabilitation in Moscow's Defence Ministry medical facilities, with comprehensive psychological and medical support provided.

The United Arab Emirates played a humanitarian role in facilitating this exchange, marking the sixth mediated by UAE this year and bringing the total number of returned Russian and Ukrainian soldiers to nearly 1,400. This latest swap follows a similar exchange on June 25, where 90 prisoners of war were exchanged on each side.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, over 50 such exchanges have taken place.

President Vladimir Putin said last month that Moscow was holding 6,465 Ukrainian prisoners of war while Kyiv was holding 1,348 Russian soldiers captive.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Kyiv would “continue to work for the release of each and every one” of its soldiers captured by Russian forces.