Russia and Ukraine have conducted a major prisoner of war exchange, according to Moscow

Ukraine has released 150 Russian soldiers from captivity in a significant prisoner exchange, as reported by the Defense Ministry in Moscow via a Telegram post on Monday. In return, Ukraine received an equal number of its own troops.

The exchange was facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, according to the ministry. The released Russian soldiers were first taken to Belarus, where they received essential medical and psychological care, along with the opportunity to connect with their families, the statement noted.

The soldiers are set to be transported to Russia for additional treatment and rehabilitation, the ministry further indicated.

This marks the first exchange of this nature since October, when both sides swapped 95 servicemen. That previous exchange was also mediated by the UAE. In November, Moscow and Kiev exchanged the remains of deceased soldiers, with Ukraine receiving 563 bodies and Russia 37.

Moscow had earlier accused Kiev of hesitance in reclaiming its soldiers from detention. In early December, Russian human rights ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova published a list of servicemen in custody, claiming that Ukrainian officials were unwilling to consider them for exchange.

“Zelensky does not need 630 Ukrainian citizens who were captured. He abandoned them,” commented Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova regarding the list at that time.

In mid-December, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban proposed mediating a significant prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kiev, potentially involving around 700 soldiers from each side. He later mentioned that Ukraine had declined his offer.

An aide to Vladimir Zelensky referred to Orban as “a meddlesome messenger” for Russian President Vladimir Putin, asserting that “no one” who genuinely seeks peace would require such individuals.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia was open to Orban’s proposal and had even reached out to the Hungarian embassy with relevant suggestions.