Russia and Ukraine swap at least 300 prisoners in exchange deal
Source: The Guardian
Mon 30 Dec 2024 13.43 EST
Last modified on Mon 30 Dec 2024 16.48 EST
Russia and Ukraine have carried out a major prisoner exchange, with at least 150 people from each side returning home before New Year’s Eve, in a swap partly brokered by the United Arab Emirates.
“The return of our people from Russian captivity is always very good news for each of us. And today is one of such days: our team managed to bring 189 Ukrainians home,” the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said in a message posted on Telegram on Monday. The Russian defence ministry said 150 prisoners from each side had returned home, and there was no immediate explanation for the difference in numbers.
Ukraine’s coordinating centre on exchanges said those returning to Ukraine included 87 soldiers from the army, 43 from the national guard, 33 border guards, 24 from the navy and two civilians. It said 14 officers were among the group. The centre said those Ukraine sent back to Russia were prisoners captured during Ukraine’s offensive in the Kursk region, which began in late summer and resulted in Kyiv occupying a small chunk of Russian territory.
Among the stated goals of the Kursk operation were having a bargaining chip to play at potential future negotiations, and seizing prisoners to trade for Ukrainians held by Russia. Some of those who Russia returned on Monday had been held since the early months of the war, which began when Russia invaded in February 2022.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/30/russia-ukraine-swap-prisoners-exchange-deal
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