In a major turn of events, Ukraine has secured the release of 49 individuals from Russian detention on Friday, September 13.
As per multiple outlets, this latest prisoner exchange, facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, marks the 56th swap since Russia's invasion began in 2022.
Shortly after the prisoner swap, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy released a statement on his social media account X (formerly Twitter).
Announcing the release he said, "Another return of our people - something we always wait for and work tirelessly to achieve... We must bring home every single one of our people, both military and civilian."
Meanwhile, Andriy Yermak, Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, shared that the released group included seven civilians along with personnel from the armed forces, national guard, police, and border guards.
However, the number of Russians released was not disclosed, and Moscow has not yet provided a response.
Video footage released by Ukraine showed the freed individuals being greeted with flowers and hugs, and receiving leaflets that said, "Thank you for enduring it all."
This exchange follows Ukraine’s recent incursion into Russia's Kursk region in early August, where Ukrainian forces captured at least 600 Russian soldiers.
