Russia and Ukraine Conduct Prisoner Swap Following Kursk Offensive
Russia and Ukraine exchanged a total of 230 prisoners of war on Saturday, marking a significant event following Ukraine’s recent cross-border operation into Russia’s Kursk region. Russian state media reported that the prisoners released by Ukraine were captured during the offensive in Kursk. According to the Russian defense ministry, 115 soldiers were returned from areas under Ukrainian control. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that “115 of our defenders have returned home today.”
This swap is the first of its kind since Ukraine initiated its incursion into Russian territory on August 6. Ukraine has stated that one of the primary objectives of the Kursk offensive is to capture Russian troops to use as leverage in future prisoner exchanges. The Ukrainian government claims it has gained control over 1,000 square kilometers of the Kursk region.
The prisoner exchange was reportedly mediated by the United Arab Emirates. In a separate development on Saturday, Ukraine announced that it had launched an attack on a Russian ammunition depot in Voronezh, a southern region of Russia. On the same day, Ukrainian officials reported a Russian airstrike on the eastern town of Kostyantynivka, resulting in the deaths of five people.
President Zelensky confirmed that the Ukrainian soldiers who were released included members of the National Guard, the Armed Forces, the Navy, and the Border Guard. “We remember each and every one of them,” he stated. “We are tirelessly working to bring all of our people back from captivity.” He expressed gratitude to the UAE and international partners for their support in facilitating the return of Ukrainian soldiers.
Zelensky also hinted that the Kursk offensive had additional objectives beyond capturing Russian soldiers, though he did not provide specific details. He described the operation as a preventative measure designed to thwart potential Russian advances towards the Ukrainian city of Sumy. Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to forcing Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the conflict through diplomatic means, emphasizing that Ukraine would continue to strive for peace and the release of all Ukrainian detainees.
