KYIV – On September 13, Ukraine announced the successful return of 49 individuals from Russian captivity in the latest prisoner swap mediated by the United Arab Emirates. This exchange, the 56th since Russia’s invasion in 2022, was confirmed by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Zelenskiy celebrated the return of the individuals, which included seven civilians along with military personnel from the armed forces, national guard, police, and border guard service. He emphasized Ukraine’s commitment to bringing home every individual, both military and civilian.
The exact number of Russian prisoners released in this exchange has not been disclosed, and Moscow has yet to comment on the swap. Ukrainian military intelligence also released video footage showing released prisoners being welcomed with flowers and heartfelt messages of gratitude.
This exchange marks the second since Ukraine’s recent cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces captured at least 600 Russian soldiers. Ukrainian officials hope this will facilitate further swaps and the return of additional captured Ukrainians.
Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported that Ukraine has now secured the return of 3,569 individuals from Russian captivity since the invasion began.