Russia, Ukraine exchange nearly 200 prisoners of war
(VOVWORLD) - Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, said on Saturday that 116 Ukrainians had been freed while Russian news agencies cited Moscow's defence ministry as saying 63 Russian citizens had been released.
 Ukrainian servicemen patrol in the streets of the village of Katerynivka, in the Lugansk region. (Photo: AFP/VNA) |
The exchange was made possible through the mediation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The last prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine took place last October, in which a total of 218 prisoners from both sides were released.
Late last November, representatives of Russia and Ukraine met in the UAE and discussed the possibility of a POW swap and the exports of Russian fertilizers to Asia and Africa via a Ukrainian pipeline.