Russia, Ukraine Exchange 150 Prisoners of War in UAE-Brokered Deal

Russia and Ukraine have successfully exchanged 150 prisoners of war (PoWs) through a deal facilitated by the United Arab Emirates.

Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the exchange on its Telegram channel, stating that seventy-five Russian soldiers, described as being “in mortal danger,” were returned to Russia on Friday. In exchange, 75 Ukrainian prisoners of war were handed back to the Ukrainian side.

“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.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the exchange in a separate statement, reiterating his commitment to securing the release of all Ukrainian citizens held in Russian captivity.

“We will continue working to bring home everyone from Russian captivity,” President Zelensky vowed.

Additionally, both sides exchanged the bodies of dead soldiers. Ukraine received the remains of 212 soldiers retrieved from the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, and Kharkiv sectors of the front line, as well as from occupied territories of Ukraine. In return, Russia received 45 bodies.

The exchange follows a period of suspended negotiations. On Wednesday, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova accused Ukraine of delaying the exchanges by setting “new far-fetched demands.” According to Moskalkova, a list of 500 servicemen who could return home had been sent to Ukraine, but the process was allegedly stalled by the Ukrainian military leadership.

In response, Dmytro Lubinets, Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights, refuted Moskalkova’s claims.

“This is not true, Ukraine has not suspended anything,” Lubinets asserted. “The exchanges are not happening because Russia does not want them!”

The last significant prisoner exchange between the warring sides took place in early February, though there were discrepancies in the reported figures. Russia stated that 195 soldiers were exchanged on each side, while Ukraine reported regaining 207 individuals.

The full-scale armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine began in 2022 when Russian troops entered Ukraine, citing the protection of people in self-proclaimed separatist-controlled regions allegedly under attack by the Ukrainian military. The Russian offensive targeted northern, eastern, and southern regions, 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.