The United Arab Emirates successfully mediated the exchange of 206 prisoners between Russia and Ukraine on Saturday, marking the country’s eighth such mediation effort in the ongoing conflict.
According to the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this latest exchange brings the total number of prisoners swapped through UAE mediation to 1,994.
In a statement, the UAE foreign ministry expressed gratitude to both nations for their cooperation in the face of significant challenges posed by the war. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs thanked the two countries for their response to the UAE’s mediation efforts, which helped make the prisoner exchange process a success,” the statement read.
The swap included 103 Ukrainian soldiers captured by Russia, alongside 103 Russian troops who had been detained by Ukrainian forces during an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, which began on August 6, according to reports from Russia’s Defense Ministry.
“As a result of the negotiation process, 103 Russian servicemen captured in the Kursk region were returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime,” the Russian Defense Ministry stated, as quoted by AFP. The freed Russian soldiers were taken to Belarus, where they are now receiving psychological and medical support, with access to their families, the ministry added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed the release of 103 Ukrainian servicemen from Russian captivity, expressing gratitude for their safe return. The ongoing mediation by the UAE continues to play a significant role in facilitating these exchanges amid the broader war.
