Ukraine and Russia exchange 270 captives each in latest prisoner swap
The 23 October exchange brought home Ukrainian troops and civilians. The UAE said it followed another round of mediation between the two countries.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged 270 captives each on 23 October, bringing home Ukrainian military personnel and civilians in one of the few continuing channels of contact between the countries during the war. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said nine civilians were among those returning; Russia's Defence Ministry confirmed the exchange, according to Politico Europe.
Politico reported that the Ukrainian group comprised 261 military personnel and nine civilians. Zelenskyy said most of the released servicemen had been held since 2022. He identified returning members of the National Guard, border guards, territorial defence forces, navy, land forces, airborne assault forces and State Special Transport Service, according to The National.
On the Russian side, human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova said Ukraine had handed over seven civilians who could reunite with their families, Reuters reported. Russia's Defence Ministry said its freed servicemen were in Belarus and would travel to Russia after receiving psychological and medical assistance.
UAE mediation and earlier exchanges
The UAE foreign ministry said the exchange followed another round of UAE-led mediation. It put the total number of captives exchanged through Emirati efforts at 8,537; The National described this as the 27th exchange facilitated through those talks. Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War thanked both the UAE and the United States for their contributions, Politico reported.
Politico described the swap as the third stage of a process that began on 19 August. Reuters reported that 103 Ukrainians returned from Russian captivity that day and another 10 returned later in August. The latest exchange followed talks with US negotiators earlier this week, Reuters reported.
Among those returning from Olenivka
Zelenskyy said five of the returning Ukrainians had been believed killed in the July 2022 attack on the Olenivka prison camp. Responsibility for that attack remains disputed: Ukraine accused Russia of striking the camp and killing prisoners, while Russia said Ukraine had fired at it, Reuters reported.
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Sources and context
- Ukraine and Russia each exchange 270 prisoners of warPolitico Europe
- Russia and Ukraine exchange 540 captives after latest UAE mediation | The NationalThe National
- Russia and Ukraine swap 270 prisoners eachReuters, republished by The Straits Times
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.