Russia and Ukraine conducted a new prisoner exchange on Friday, with each side releasing 95 prisoners, facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, Reuters reports.
The Russian Defence Ministry reported that the returning soldiers were undergoing medical checks in Belarus, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shared a video showing Ukrainian prisoners reuniting with their families. Among the released Ukrainian prisoners was journalist and rights advocate Maksym Butkevych, who had been sentenced by a Russian court. Most of the Russian returnees were captured in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces conducted an incursion in August.
This exchange marked the 58th since the start of the war, bringing the total number of returned prisoners to 3,767. The UAE’s Foreign Ministry noted that this was its ninth mediation effort in the conflict, highlighting the cooperative relations it maintains with both nations. The last known exchange occurred in September, involving 103 prisoners from each side.
