Ukraine, Russia swap hundreds of hostages in latest prisoner exchange deal
- 14 September, 07:14
Russia and Ukraine exchanged 206 prisoners from both sides in the latest exchange deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday that of 103 Ukrainian servicemen who were released, 82 were soldiers and privates and 21 were officers, including police officers and border guards.
The Russian troops freed in the latest swap were captured during Ukraine's incursion into the Kursk region, which began on 6 August, according to the Russian defence ministry.
"As a result of the negotiation process, 103 Russian servicemen captured in the Kursk region were returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime," the Russian defence ministry said, adding that "In return, 103 Ukrainian army prisoners of war were handed over."
"At present, all Russian servicemen are on the territory of the Republic of Belarus where they are being provided with the necessary psychological and medical assistance, as well as an opportunity to contact their relatives," the ministry stated.
The UAE's foreign ministry hailed the deal as a "success" and thanked both sides for their cooperation on Saturday. The prisoner swap came as Russia on Saturday pushed ahead in eastern Ukraine, where it claims to have captured a string of villages in recent weeks.
