In Brief

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Russian defence ministry said it had swapped 150 Ukrainian soldiers held captive for an equal number of Russian troops.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy said 189 Ukrainians had returned home. He added that those released included "defenders of Azovstal and Mariupol", the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and Snake Island.
This marks a notable increase in prisoner exchanges, with only ten swaps occurring previously this year.
Estimates suggest that over 8,000 Ukrainian prisoners remain in Russian detention.

Situation Report

In a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, a major prisoner exchange took place, facilitated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that it had successfully traded 150 captured Ukrainian soldiers for an equal number of Russian servicemen. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that a total of 189 Ukrainians had returned to their homeland, highlighting that among those released were defenders from Mariupol and personnel from the Chernobyl nuclear facility.

Zelensky emphasized Ukraine's commitment to liberating all individuals detained by Russia, stating, "We are striving to liberate everyone from Russian detention. This is our mission." He shared images of some of the freed individuals proudly displaying yellow-and-blue Ukrainian flags.

On the same day, the Russian Ministry of Defense indicated that the newly freed Russian soldiers were receiving medical care in Belarus and had opportunities to contact their families.

Prior to this latest exchange, only ten prisoner swaps had occurred between the two nations in 2024, marking the lowest frequency since the full-scale invasion began.

Since the onset of the conflict, Ukraine reported that Moscow had released a total of 3,956 individuals, including military personnel and civilians.

However, estimates suggest that over 8,000 Ukrainian prisoners remain held by Russia, raising concerns about potential increases in captures as Russian forces make notable advancements on the battlefield.