In this undated photo shared by Uri Kikaski via the ombudsman of Ukraine, Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) freed by the Russian forces pose for a photograph. (Image: @UKikaski/X)
The Russian government also confirmed that Moscow and Kyiv exchanged 230 prisoners of war.
Russia and Ukraine announced Saturday they had exchanged 115 prisoners of war each, just over two weeks after Kyiv launched a surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said “another 115 of our defenders have returned home today”, while Moscow’s defence ministry said: “As a result of a negotiation process, 115 Russian servicemen taken prisoner in the Kursk region have been returned from territories controlled by the Kyiv regime.”
The United Arab Emirates said it mediated a prisoner swap deal between Ukraine and Russia that secured the release of 230 captives.
The 55th exchange of prisoners, 115 for 115, since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine took place today. On the Ukrainian side, nine illegally convicted soldiers (meaning Russia charged the with terrorism or some other made up charges instead of following POW protocols… pic.twitter.com/mCoxdQkedN
— OSINT (Uri Kikaski) (@UKikaski) August 24, 2024
“The UAE has successfully mediated a new captives exchange between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Ukraine, resulting in the release of 230 captives,” said a foreign ministry statement.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)