Russia and Ukraine conduct prisoner exchange brokered by UAE

(CLO) Russia and Ukraine conducted a new prisoner exchange on Friday, each side returning 95 prisoners in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a post on the Telegram messaging app that the returning Russian soldiers are undergoing medical checks in Belarus.

Ukrainian prisoners of war pose for a photo after being exchanged at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Photo: AFP

Video posted on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Telegram account showed men, some wearing Ukraine's blue and yellow flag, getting off buses in the dark and being hugged by relatives.

Russian military video also shows smiling soldiers boarding buses.

President Zelenskyy said the released prisoners had served on various fronts, including those who defended the port city of Mariupol for nearly three months in 2022.

Ukrainian media reports said that among those returning was Ukrainian journalist Maksym Butkevych, who was convicted by a Russian court for firing at Russian forces.

Ukraine's Coordination Service for POW Affairs said 48 of those returned had been convicted by the Russian justice system.

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's parliamentary commissioner for human rights, said this was the 58th prisoner exchange since the war began, bringing the total number of prisoners returned home to 3,767.

A private Russian group that protects the rights of prisoners of war published a list of the returnees and said most of them were captured in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops launched a raid in August.

Ukrainian forces remain in Kursk, although the Russian military says its forces have retaken some occupied territory.

A statement from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this was the ninth time the UAE had mediated a peace deal in the war. The UAE described the exchange as “a reflection of the cooperation and friendship between the UAE and both countries”.

The most recent prisoner exchange, involving 103 prisoners from each side, took place in September.

Hong Hanh (according to Reuters, AFP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nga-va-ukraine-tien-hanh-trao-doi-95-tu-binh-moi-nuoc-post317515.html