Sat Sep 14 23:44:50 UTC 2024: ## Ukraine and Russia Complete Second Prisoner Swap in Two Days, Mediated by UAE
**Kyiv, Ukraine** – In a second major prisoner exchange in as many days, Ukraine and Russia have swapped 103 prisoners of war, bringing the total number of individuals returned to their respective countries to 152. The latest exchange was mediated by the United Arab Emirates, marking the eighth prisoner swap facilitated by the country this year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the release of 82 soldiers and 21 officers, many of whom had been held captive since the early days of the war in 2022. He expressed relief, stating, “Our people are home. We have successfully brought back another 103 warriors from Russian captivity to Ukraine.”
Zelensky credited the daring incursion into Russian territory in the Kursk region, launched in early August, as a key factor in securing the release of Ukrainian prisoners. He commended the soldiers involved in the operation, stating it “gave the necessary impetus” for the prisoner exchange.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the receipt of 103 Russian soldiers, all of whom were captured during the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk and are currently in Belarus.
The exchange was met with joy and relief, as evidenced by photographs and video of the freed Ukrainians showing smiling, pale men with shaved or buzzed heads, many draped in the Ukrainian flag.
These latest exchanges represent a significant step in the ongoing prisoner swap efforts between Russia and Ukraine. Since the start of the war, the two countries have conducted numerous prisoner exchanges, with the UAE consistently playing a critical role in mediating these releases.
First Piper 