Ukraine and Russia swap prisoners of war in first deal in months brokered by UAE

Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday (Jan 3) exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war in the first such deal in nearly five months which was mediated by United Arab Emirates.

Moscow said that it was a complex negotiation, and the UAE was involved in it. Without providing details, Ukraine's POW coordination centre also briefly acknowledged the UAE's role in the exchange.

Russia said Ukraine had handed over 248 military personnel, whileKyiv welcomed back 230 people - 224 soldiers and six civilians.

The latest exchange of prisoners had been the largest documented swap of troops so far.Notably, Russia and Ukraine have held many prisoner swaps since the early months of Russia's invasion in February 2022.

However, the rate of the exchanges dropped in 2023 and the last one took place in early August.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyannounced that they had received soldiers. "More than 200 of our soldiers and civilians have been returned from Russian captivity," Zelensky said on Telegram, posting a video of uniformed men celebrating.

Neither side has yet reportedthe number of prisonersin their possession. Among the Ukrainian soldiers released were 66 from Mariupol, who surrendered to Russian forces in May 2022, according to an official involved in the discussions.

Dozens of Ukrainian troops who fought in Mariupol have been convicted of war crimes by Russia in court procedures that Ukraine and rights groups have condemned as unlawful.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos

(With inputs from agencies)