Russia and Ukraine Exchange 270 Prisoners of War With UAE Mediation

Russia's Defense Ministry reported that on October 23, the sides conducted an exchange: 270 Russian military personnel returned from territory controlled by Kyiv in exchange for 270 Ukrainian prisoners of war.

The United Arab Emirates provided humanitarian mediation, according to a statement from the Russian defense department. The returned Russian military personnel are currently in Belarus, where they are being assisted by Russia's human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova. After necessary psychological and medical care, the military personnel will be transferred to medical facilities of Russia's Defense Ministry.

Beyond the prisoner exchange, six families are being reunited in Russia and another six in Ukraine under a humanitarian initiative by the human rights commissioners of the two countries.

According to TASS, since the beginning of the year Russia has transferred 3,976 Ukrainian military personnel to Kyiv, and Kyiv has returned 3,886 Russian personnel. The previous exchange took place on August 19, when each side received 103 military personnel, including 31 wounded on the Russian side.