Russia and Ukraine each exchanged 115 prisoners of war on Saturday, marking the latest swap since Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region earlier this month.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The exchange occurred as Ukraine continued its offensive in Kursk, while Russia intensified its focus on eastern Ukrainian towns. The swap coincided with Ukraine’s Independence Day celebrations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the return of the 115 Ukrainian prisoners, which included members of the National Guard, Armed Forces, Navy, and State Border Guard Service. Zelensky shared photographs of the freed men wrapped in Ukrainian flags. Ukrainian forces claimed to have captured hundreds of Russian soldiers during their August 6 incursion into Kursk.
Moscow confirmed the prisoner exchange, stating that 115 Russian servicemen captured in Kursk had been returned. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the freed troops are currently in Belarus, receiving psychological and medical support, and will soon be transferred back to Russia. Images released by the ministry showed the soldiers near buses in a field.
Both Kyiv and Moscow expressed gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for mediating the swap. The UAE announced its successful role in facilitating the exchange, adding to the list of prisoner swaps that have taken place during the two-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
