Russia and Ukraine Conduct Latest Prisoner Exchange
Moscow, The Gulf Observer: Russia and Ukraine have completed another prisoner exchange, with each side releasing 103 individuals, the Russian Defence Ministry confirmed on September 14.
“Following a negotiation process, 103 Russian servicemen captured in the Kursk region were returned from territory controlled by the Kiev regime. In exchange, 103 prisoners of war from Ukraine’s armed forces were released,” the ministry said in a statement.
The exchange comes after Ukraine’s recent incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces claimed control of several settlements and captured Russian servicemen.
The United Arab Emirates played a key role as a humanitarian mediator in facilitating the return of Russian troops. According to the ministry, all released Russian personnel are currently in neighboring Belarus, awaiting transfer to Russia, where they will undergo medical treatment and rehabilitation in Defense Ministry-run facilities.
Since the war began in February 2022, Russia and Ukraine have conducted nearly 60 prisoner exchanges. The most recent swap occurred on August 24, when each side released 115 prisoners in an exchange coordinated by Türkiye, held on Turkish soil.