Russia and Ukraine have exchanged 103 prisoners each in a swap mediated by the United Arab Emirates, marking another rare instance of cooperation between the warring sides as broader peace efforts remain stalled.
The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed that 103 Russian servicemen had been returned from Ukrainian custody. The freed personnel are currently in Belarus, where they will receive psychological and medical assistance before being transported to Russia for rehabilitation at military hospitals. The ministry credited the UAE with providing humanitarian mediation for the exchange.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the release of 103 Ukrainian soldiers. He said some of those returning had defended Mariupol during the prolonged Russian siege of the strategic port city in 2022, while others had been captured in seven frontline regions. “Today, 103 Ukrainian warriors are returning home from Russian captivity,” Zelensky said, pledging continued efforts to secure the release of those still being held.
The Gulf state has played a growing role in facilitating prisoner swaps since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Such exchanges, along with the return of soldiers’ remains, have remained among the few areas where Moscow and Kyiv have maintained cooperation despite the continuing war.
The latest swap comes as diplomatic negotiations to end the conflict are effectively frozen. According to the United Nations, civilian deaths have reached their highest level since the opening months of the invasion, underscoring the ongoing human cost. While the prisoner exchange does not signal a broader diplomatic breakthrough, it provides another limited channel of communication between the two capitals as fighting continues.
