Russia and Ukraine Exchange Hundreds of Prisoners of War

Russia and Ukraine announced on Wednesday that they had exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war.

According to officials, the exchange, which was brokered by the United Arab Emirates, involved 230 Ukrainian prisoners and 248 Russian soldiers.

For Ukraine, this is the first major group of prisoners of war to return home.

The United Arab Emirates, despite Western sanctions, has close economic ties with Russia. Moscow said the deal was managed at the highest level by the UAE.

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, said this was the 49th prisoner exchange during the war. Some Ukrainian soldiers have been in Russian captivity since the beginning of 2022.

Russian officials have not provided further details about the prisoner exchange. The exchange is seen as a positive step towards de-escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. It is also a sign that the two countries are willing to cooperate on humanitarian issues.