Russia and Ukraine Exchange 95 Prisoners of War

Russia and Ukraine have successfully exchanged 95 prisoners of war (PoWs), three weeks after their last swap. This exchange is part of occasional agreements to send captured troops home.

Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the exchange on its Telegram channel, stating that 95 Russian soldiers, who faced “mortal danger” in Ukrainian captivity, were returned to Russia on Wednesday. In exchange, 95 Ukrainian prisoners of war were handed back to Ukraine.

“The released Russian servicemen will be transported to Moscow by military transport aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces for treatment and rehabilitation,” the ministry announced. “All those released are provided with the necessary medical and psychological assistance.”

The ministry commended the UAE for its “humanitarian mediation assistance,” highlighting the significant role played by the Emirati authorities in facilitating the exchange. The UAE maintains friendly relations with both Moscow and Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the exchange in a separate statement, adding that the United Arab Emirates had again brokered the agreements.

“No matter how difficult it may be, we are looking for everyone who may be in captivity. We have to return everyone,” Zelensky wrote in the post published on Telegram.

Wednesday’s POW swap was the 54th since the full-scale armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine began in 2022 and the third over the past seven weeks. Thousands of prisoners of war have been freed in individual exchanges throughout the war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in June that 1,348 Russian soldiers were being held in Ukraine, while Russia had detained 6,465 Ukrainian POWs.

Commenting on Wednesday’s POW swap, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova said her office met with a counterpart from Ukraine at the exchange. This was a rare instance of direct talks between officials from Moscow and Kyiv.

The officials discussed “joint humanitarian actions, including those related to the reunification of families,” Moskalkova said.

Kyiv accuses Russia of forcibly deporting thousands of Ukrainian children from territory under Moscow's control and is working to secure their return. Moscow, in turn, says the children were moved for their own protection.

The last significant prisoner exchange between the warring sides took place on June 25 when Russia and Ukraine each handed back 90 prisoners of war.

The full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine began in 2022 when Russian troops entered Ukraine, citing the protection of people in self-proclaimed separatist-controlled regions of Ukraine allegedly under attack by the Ukrainian military. The Russian offensive targeted northern, eastern, and southern regions of Ukraine, attempting to weaken the defense lines of the Ukrainian army. However, Russia’s blitzkrieg tactics faced resilient resistance from Ukraine’s military and civilians, thwarting Moscow's initial objectives. Currently, Russia controls nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory.

The armed conflict dates back to the 2014 crisis in Ukraine’s southern and eastern regions, with Ukraine accusing Russia of annexing Crimea and supporting separatist movements in Donetsk and Luhansk.

Ukraine remains steadfast in its resolve to reclaim all occupied territories, insisting that peace is contingent on Russia withdrawing its forces and restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity.