Russia announced on Friday that it had successfully swapped 95 Ukrainian soldiers for an equal number of Russian troops in a deal facilitated by the United Arab Emirates. The exchange was confirmed by both the Russian Defense Ministry and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Among the returned Ukrainian soldiers were those who had surrendered to Russian forces at the Azovstal steel plant. Notably, human rights activist Maksym Butkevych was also freed in the swap, after serving time for charges related to a war crime in eastern Ukraine.
Despite the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, both countries have engaged in multiple prisoner swaps since 2022, often with the mediation of countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, or Turkey. In the most recent exchange, 206 prisoners of war were released in September, further highlighting efforts towards peace.
Prior to the swap, Kyiv received the bodies of 501 Ukrainian soldiers killed in combat with Russian forces, while Russia reclaimed the remains of 89 of its soldiers. These repatriations underscore the toll that the conflict has taken on both sides.