KYIV: Russia and Ukraine conducted a major exchange of prisoners on Saturday, 206 in all, in their second such swap in two days, following negotiations mediated by the United Arab Emirates, officials said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that all 103 Ukrainians returned were from the military - 82 soldiers and privates and 21 officers.
Russian Defence Ministry said that the 103 Russian soldiers exchanged had been taken prisoner in the border Kursk region where Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion in August.
"Our people are home," Zelensky said on the Telegram messaging app. "We have successfully brought back another 103 warriors from Russian captivity to Ukraine." Zelensky posted pictures of servicemen wrapped in the national blue and yellow flag, hugging each other.
The exchange was mediated by the UAE, Emirati state news agency WAM said. It was the country's eighth such mediation since the start of 2024, it said.
Kyiv and Moscow have frequently exchanged prisoners since Russia's attack in February 2022, and Saturday's swap was the third since Ukraine began a cross-border incursion into Russia's Kursk region in early August.
Ukrainian officials have previously said its troops had captured at least 600 Russian soldiers during the incursion, and that this would help it secure the return of captured Ukrainians.
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's ombudsman, said the majority of the freed Ukrainians had been in Russian captivity since the early days of the attack.
He posted a short video on the Telegram messaging app showing the servicemen standing in front of a bus and shouting "Glory to Ukraine."
Lubinets said that Kyiv had so far secured the return of 3,672 Ukrainians in 57 exchanges.
Meanwhile, Russian officials threatened the West on Saturday with an uncontrolled escalation of war and Ukraine with the destruction of Kyiv as Western leaders discussed whether to allow Ukraine to use their weapons for strikes deep into Russian territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his plan to achieve victory depended on Washington's decision, a clear reference to the authorisation for long-range strikes that Kyiv has long sought from Nato allies.
Andriy Yermak, head of Zelensky's office, said on the Telegram messaging app on Saturday: "Strong decisions are needed. Terror can be stopped by destroying the military facilities where it originates."
Kyiv has said such strikes are critical for its efforts to restrict Moscow's ability to attack Ukraine, but allies have so far been reluctant to permit them, citing fears Moscow will treat them as an escalation and doubt their efficiency. — Reuters
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