UAE facilitates largest war prisoners exchange between Russia and Ukraine since beginning of crisis

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged more than 400 prisoners of war this week – in the biggest swaps since the beginning of the 22-month brutal conflict. The UAE’s mediation efforts helped make the exchange process a success, despite numerous challenges.

The Russian Defence Ministry highlighted that a total of 248 prisoners returned to Russia from the frontline in neighbouring Ukraine as a result of “complex” negotiations. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities announced the return of 230 individuals.

The UAE mediation played a key role in the development, according to the Russian ministry. It noted in its statement that the released prisoners are set to receive the “necessary medical and psychological assistance.”

Not UAE’s first time mediating a POW exchange deal

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced over 200 Ukrainian prisoners had returned home. Taking to X, previously Twitter, he expressed his gratefulness to the defenders, adding the nation is making every effort to return all Ukrainians still in Russian captivity.

In a statement, the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the successful mediation, highlighting the landmark deal is a “reflection of the strong friendly relations” between the Emirates and both Russia and Ukraine.

The ministry expressed its “appreciation to the governments of Russia and Ukraine for their co-operation and response to the UAE’s mediation efforts to make the exchange process a success, despite the challenges posed by the ongoing war.”

In addition, the statement underscored the Middle Eastern country’s prominent interest to continue in its efforts to find “a peaceful solution” to the raging conflict in Ukraine through “diplomacy, dialogue and de-escalation.”

Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said 230 Ukrainian soldiers had returned home in what he described as the 49th exchange between the two sides. The latest deal is the first significant POW swap since the summer, when about 90 were repatriated.

Russian airstrikes claiming scores of lives, Ukraine fights back

The two neighbouring nations have periodically exchanged groups of prisoners in the course of the conflict – now in its 22nd month, sadly – but the deals have become less frequent now. Last year, the UAE was similarly involved in helping mediate a sensitive prisoner exchange.

Nonetheless, the precise numbers of POWs on the Ukrainian and Russian sides remain unknown as the military of neither country discloses such information. Prisoners returning in exchanges have given extensive accounts of mistreatment in Russian captivity.

The latest swap deal comes after days of large-scale Russian airstrikes on Ukrainian cities that have killed dozens of civilians. Meanwhile, last week, Moscow said Ukrainian shelling of Russia’s Bolgorod in the south killed 25 people, including five children.