Large Prisoner Swap Between Russia and Ukraine
Earlier this month a large prisoner exchange was carried out between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. 63 Russian prisoners were exchanged for 116 prisoners from the Ukrainian side. The Russian Defense Ministry (MOD) said the swap included "persons of a sensitive category." The Russian MOD did not clarify what classifies them as "sensitive." The MOD went on to say the swap was "a result of a complex negotiation process." The negotiation that the Russian MOD was referring to was mediated by the United Arab Emirates. An aide close to Zelensky reported that 87 of the 116 prisoners were Ukrainian Army personnel including two special forces troops. The rest were members of the territorial defense forces, the National Guard, the police, the State Border Guard, the Navy, and the State Emergency Service.