Russia and Ukraine Exchange 146 Prisoners with Help from UAE

Russia and Ukraine carry out big prisoner swap on Sunday, each side release 146 people wey dem hold, na deal wey United Arab Emirates mediate, officials for Moscow and Kyiv confirm. According to Russia defense ministry,  all Russians wey dem release, dem carry dem go Belarus, wey be the country wey near Russia. for there dem dey get psychological and medical help. The ministry add say Ukraine return eight Russian civilians from Kursk region, one place wey Ukraine do big attack last year. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy anounce the swap for Telegram, him share pictures of people wey dey smile as dem don come back. Him talk say many of dem don dey captivity since 2022, when Russia begin the full war, and say one journalist wey dem capture one month after war start dey among dem. Zelenskyy thank United Arab Emirates well well for the role wey dem play for the exchange and say more exchanges still dey happen.

“Exchanges dey continue. Maybe na because of our soldiers, wey dey increase the number of people wey Ukraine fit exchange,” him write, as him hint say Kyiv don capture more Russian soldiers. Later, Ukrainian military confirm say 146 prisoners from each side don swap. Meanwhile, Vladimir Medinsky, wey be senior Russian negotiator for early peace talks, criticize how Kyiv dey delay to release civilians from Kursk region. For Telegram, him talk say more than 20 people still dey wait to return. “Three months don pass and people from Kursk region no dey return, dem dey exchange small small groups for some people wey Ukraine need,” him claim, say Kyiv dey do “painful bargaining.” This exchange show say war still get humanitarian wahala and say negotiation between the two countries still get plenty challenges.