Kyiv:
Ukraine and Russia announced Wednesday their first prisoner-of-war swap in nearly five months, with more than 200 freed by each side after a complex negotiation that included mediation by the United Arab Emirates.
Russia’s defense ministry said 248 servicemen were surrendered by Ukraine. Kiev said it had brought home 230 people – 224 soldiers and six civilians – in what it said was the largest documented exchange of troops so far.
The UAE’s foreign ministry acknowledged its role, saying in a statement that the exchange was made possible thanks to “strong friendly relations” with both Moscow and Kiev.
It offered both to further humanitarian efforts and to find a peaceful solution to the war.
A video released by Ukrainian authorities shows returning prisoners dressed in the country’s blue and yellow flag getting off a bus, singing the national anthem and shouting the patriotic salute “Glory to Ukraine”.
Most, but not all, appeared to be in good health.
One returning shouted: “We’re home! You didn’t forget us!”
The Russian Ministry of Defense released a similar video of returning prisoners in uniform arriving in Belgorod on buses. “I’ll be home in five hours, roughly, that’ll be a joy,” said an unnamed man.
Despite a lack of talks to end the 22-month war, Kiev and Moscow have held several prisoner exchanges since the early months of Russia’s February 2022 invasion.
But the exchange rate fell in 2023 and the last until this week was in August.
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Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s HUR military intelligence service, singled out the UAE’s “direct role”, saying: “After a significant period of time, we managed to carry out a very difficult prisoner exchange.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said it was “really a great day for Ukraine” and promised to press ahead with further exchanges facilitated by expanding what he called a “swap fund” of captured Russian soldiers.
“The more Russians we arrest, the more effective the exchange negotiations will be,” he said in a video address overnight.
He said some of the returnees had previously been listed as missing.
Ukraine’s returnees came from various branches of its armed forces and included participants in the nearly three-month defense of the Azovstal steel plant in the port of Mariupol before it was captured by Russian forces in May 2022.
On the Russian side, a statement from the Ministry of Defense said that those released will undergo medical checks and treatment.
Russia’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Tatyana Moskalkova, thanked President Vladimir Putin and the military and intelligence services for their efforts in the exchange.
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