Russia and Ukraine carried out a significant exchange of 206 prisoners on Saturday, with each side releasing 103 individuals, marking their second such swap within two days. This exchange followed negotiations facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, according to officials. President Volodymyr Zelensky attributed the release of the prisoners to his forces' recent incursion into Russian territory. He stated that the released Ukrainians included 82 soldiers and privates, as well as 21 officers, who had been held captive since the early stages of the conflict.

The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed that the 103 Russian soldiers exchanged had been captured in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces had launched a surprise incursion in August. Zelensky announced the successful return of the prisoners on the Telegram messaging app, stating, "Our people are home. We have successfully brought back another 103 warriors from Russian captivity to Ukraine." In his nightly video address, he expressed gratitude to his combat forces for their bravery and the team responsible for the exchanges, emphasizing that the operation in the Kursk region provided the necessary impetus.

Zelensky shared images of the released servicemen wrapped in the national blue and yellow flag, engaging in heartfelt reunions, using mobile phones, and posing for group photographs at an undisclosed location. He noted that among those released were soldiers who had fought to defend the city of Mariupol. The Azov brigade, which participated in the three-month defense of the port in 2022, confirmed that 23 of its members were among those released on Saturday.

The exchange was mediated by the UAE, as reported by the Emirati state news agency WAM. This marks the eighth such mediation by the UAE since the beginning of 2024. Since Russia's invasion in February 2022, Kyiv and Moscow have frequently exchanged prisoners, with Saturday's swap being the third since Ukraine initiated a cross-border incursion into Russia's Kursk region in early August. Ukrainian officials have previously stated that Kyiv's forces captured at least 600 Russian soldiers during the incursion, which they believe will aid in securing the return of captured Ukrainians.

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, reported that Kyiv has so far facilitated the return of 3,672 Ukrainians through 57 exchanges.