Sat Sep 14 00:55:50 UTC 2024: ## Prisoner Swap Amidst Fierce Fighting in Eastern Ukraine

**KYIV, Ukraine** – A rare moment of cooperation amidst ongoing hostilities in Ukraine saw Moscow and Kyiv exchange 103 prisoners of war each on Saturday, in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates.

The swap included Ukrainian soldiers captured during the Russian invasion of the Azovstal steel plant in May 2022, while the Russians released were captured during a Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the release of 82 privates and sergeants, as well as 21 officers, including defenders of Kyiv, Donetsk, Mariupol, and other key regions.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the prisoner exchange, stating that all released Russian servicemen were being provided with medical and psychological assistance in Belarus.

The prisoner swap comes as Russia pushes its offensive in eastern Ukraine, claiming to have captured several villages in recent weeks. Moscow’s forces are currently targeting the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk, which lies on a vital road supplying Ukrainian troops.

Meanwhile, tensions between Russia and the West escalated this week after discussions emerged about supplying Ukraine with long-range weapons capable of striking targets inside Russia. While the US and UK have delayed a decision on the matter, President Vladimir Putin warned that such action would put NATO at war with Moscow.

Despite the ongoing conflict, Russia and Ukraine have conducted several prisoner exchanges throughout the war, often with the help of intermediaries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. The latest swap serves as a glimmer of hope for a potential peaceful resolution, even as fighting intensifies on the ground.

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