Russia, Ukraine set to swap 115 prisoners each, UAE official says

[August 24, 2024]  By Alexander Cornwell
 
DUBAI (Reuters) -Russia and Ukraine are set to exchange 115 prisoners each on Saturday after negotiations mediated by the United Arab Emirates, an Emirati official said, the first such prisoner swap since Ukraine launched its offensive inside Russia this month.

People take part in a demonstration for the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, on the first day of the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, in Lucerne, Switzerland June 15, 2024. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth/File Photo

The Emirati official spoke on condition of anonymity because the details were not yet public.

There was no immediate comment from Russian and Ukrainian officials on the purported exchange.

It would be the seventh such exchange the UAE has mediated since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Abu Dhabi, a close security partner of the United States, has maintained warm relations with Moscow throughout the war, frustrating some Western officials. It has also strengthened ties with Kyiv.

UAE officials say that their ability to talk to a range of international actors means that they can effectively mediate between parties and promote cooperation and security.

Since the war started, the UAE has mediated the release of 1,788 prisoners, include those set to be released on Saturday.

Ukraine's military on Aug. 6 launched a surprise attack into Russia's Kursk region, the biggest attack inside Russian territory by a foreign power since World War Two.

Kyiv has said it has carved out a buffer zone in an area that Russia, which sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in 2022, has used to pound targets in Ukraine.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Jan Harvey and Ana Nicolaci da Costa)

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