Russia and Ukraine conduct prisoner exchange: 103 soldiers released from each side
Moscow and Kyiv carried out another phase of prisoner exchange, with each side releasing 103 soldiers, mediated by the UAE. The deal joins a series of previous exchanges that have become one of the few coordination channels remaining open between the countries.
Russia and Ukraine carried out another prisoner exchange deal on Wednesday, in which 103 soldiers were released from each side, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced. According to the statement, the UAE mediated between Moscow and Kyiv and assisted in completing the deal.
The Ministry of Defense in Moscow stated that the 103 released Russian military personnel were transferred in the first stage to Belarus, where they are expected to receive medical treatment and assistance before returning to Russia. Ukrainian media reported on the Russian announcement, but in the first hours after its publication, no detailed response had yet been provided by Kyiv.
The deal comes after days of contacts regarding the renewal of prisoner exchanges. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said two days ago that his team is working on holding further exchanges and that he hopes to see "results soon."
In the background, there is a dispute between the parties regarding the identity of the prisoners to be returned. Last week, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova published a list of 224 Ukrainian prisoners whom she claimed Moscow is ready to release, and accused Kyiv of rejecting Russian proposals. Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets rejected the claims and called them "cynical lies," emphasizing that Ukraine seeks to return all its citizens held in Russia.
Prisoner exchanges remain one of the few areas where Russia and Ukraine continue to reach agreements even when broader political negotiations are stalled. In May, the parties reached an agreement in principle, with American mediation, on the exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each side. Since then, several phases have been carried out, including deals of 205, 185, and 160 soldiers from each side.
The current deal does not, for the time being, indicate a breakthrough in negotiations to end the war, but it continues the active humanitarian channel between Moscow and Kyiv.
