Official announcements from the Russian Defense Ministry or Ukrainian government

Russia and Ukraine Swap 95 Prisoners Each in 58th UAE-Mediated Exchange

Oct 18, 2024, 08:25 PM

Russia and Ukraine each swapped 95 prisoners of war on Friday in an agreement facilitated by the United Arab Emirates. This marks the first major prisoner exchange in over a month. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the swap, stating that 95 Russian servicemen were returned from Ukraine and 95 Ukrainian soldiers were transferred to Kiev. The released servicemen will be transported to their respective countries for treatment and rehabilitation. Among the freed Ukrainians are defenders of Mariupol and Azovstal, as well as soldiers from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Kherson regions. This exchange, which is the 58th POW swap between the two nations, is part of ongoing negotiation talks.