Russia and Ukraine Exchange 400 Prisoners of War with Mediation of the United Arab Emirates

Doc. Return of Russian soldiers detained by Ukraine. (TASS/Sergey Fadeichev)

JAKARTA - Russia and Ukraine resumed prisoner exchanges with the mediation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday, bringing the total number of soldiers exchanged through the UAE humanitarian operation to 5,355.

"The United Arab Emirates has announced the success of mediation efforts carried out jointly with the United States between Russia and Ukraine, which resulted in the release of 400 prisoners - 200 from each side - bringing the total number of prisoners exchanged through the UAE mediation efforts to 5,355," the statement said, reported TASS (6/3).

The ministry noted that this latest exchange was the 19th round of mediation efforts by Abu Dhabi since the beginning of the crisis.

On Thursday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that 200 Russian soldiers had been returned from Kyiv-controlled territory in exchange for 200 Ukrainian prisoners of war.

According to the statement. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the exchange was possible "thanks to the humanitarian mediation of the United Arab Emirates and the United States," quoted by Anadolu.

It added that the second exchange of 300 prisoners of war for 300 prisoners of war was scheduled for Friday.

The released soldiers were in Belarus, where they received psychological and medical assistance, and will then be transported to Russia for treatment and rehabilitation in the Ministry of Defense's medical facilities, the ministry added.

Later, TASS reported that the Il-76MD plane carrying Russian soldiers landed in the Moscow Region.

Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky wrote on Telegram, Moscow and Kyiv will complete the exchange of a total of 500 prisoners of war from each side on Thursday and Friday, as part of an agreement reached during peace talks in Geneva, Switzerland.

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later confirmed the exchange, thanking Washington in a statement via US social media company X for "its support in enabling this exchange."

"Those released from detention will undergo a full medical examination, receive physical and psychological rehabilitation assistance," the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said in a separate statement on Telegram.

It is known that Russia, Ukraine, and the US have held three rounds of peace talks since the beginning of the year, namely on January 23-24, February 4-5, and February 17-18.

The first two rounds were held in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi. The third round took place in Geneva.