Soldiers Held for Years Freed in Russia-Ukraine Prisoner Swap

A prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, brokered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 23 October, has resulted in the release of 540 captives.

The swap saw 270 people freed from each side, including Ukrainian officers and individuals captured as far back as 2018 and 2020, according to Ukrainian authorities.

The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the success of the mediation, which brings the total number of prisoners exchanged between the two nations through Abu Dhabi's brokering to 8,537 across 27 operations. The ministry reaffirmed its continuing efforts to support initiatives aimed at reaching a peaceful resolution to the conflict and mitigating its humanitarian impact.

According to Euronews, UAE-mediated prisoner swaps represent one of the few areas of practical co-operation between Moscow and Kyiv since the outbreak of full-scale war in February 2022, despite ongoing military confrontations.

In a statement carried by the official Russian news agency Tass, Russia's defence ministry announced the return of 270 Russian military personnel in exchange for the release of an equal number of Ukrainian troops. The ministry noted that the UAE had provided humanitarian mediation to facilitate the return of the Russian servicemen from captivity.

The ministry said the freed Russian personnel were transferred to Belarus to receive necessary medical and psychological care, ahead of their return to Russia for further treatment and rehabilitation at defence ministry medical facilities.

Citing Russian officials, Tass added that Russia's Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova is monitoring the condition of the released personnel. The agency noted that the exchange follows negotiations regarding the release of detainees that had been ongoing since September.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the return of 270 Ukrainians, including members of the National Guard, fighters from the Azov battalion, border guards, naval and ground forces, territorial defence troops, and airborne units, alongside nine civilians.

Mr Zelensky stated that most of the returnees had been held since 2022, describing the exchange as a "highly significant result".

Ukraine's Co-ordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported that 38 officers were among those released in the 23 October operation. It added that some of the servicemen had been captured in 2018 and 2020, according to Ukraine's national news agency.

The headquarters expressed its appreciation to the United States and the UAE, praising the efforts that contributed to the release of the detainees. It also thanked government institutions and organisations involved in the prisoner portfolio.

The operation highlights the continuation of the humanitarian track for prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine while the war continues, with successive mediations enabling prisoners to return to their home countries and reunite with their families.

Euronews previously covered the UAE's mediation role in earlier swaps in June, noting its contribution to the return of prisoners captured by the opposing side during the initial stages of the war.