Ukraine welcomed home 277 prisoners of war in a major exchange with Russia, mediated by the United Arab Emirates. The released defenders—including soldiers from the Armed Forces, National Guard, State Special Transport Service, and border guards—had been captured while fighting in Mariupol and across frontline regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Luhansk.
Zelenskyy, "Our people are home—this is among the best news we could receive," Ukrainian officials announced. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed particular gratitude to the UAE for facilitating the swap, marking one of the largest single repatriations since Russia's full-scale invasion began.
The latest exchange brings Ukraine's total recoveries to 4,552 military personnel and civilians freed from Russian captivity. "We remember all who remain imprisoned," Zelenskyy emphasized. "Our mission continues until every last person is brought home."
The successful mediation by the UAE underscores the Gulf state's growing diplomatic role in the conflict, even as fighting continues along frontlines. Ukrainian authorities reiterated their commitment to ongoing prisoner recovery efforts through both negotiations and military intelligence operations.
The swap comes amid stalled battlefield advances by both sides, with recent months seeing increased focus on prisoner exchanges as both Ukraine and Russia seek to boost domestic morale. Previous major swaps have involved mediation by Turkey and Saudi Arabia, with the UAE emerging as a new neutral intermediary in recent negotiations.
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