Ukraine and Russia Exchange Prisoners Again

Ukraine - August 24, Russia and Ukraine exchanged 146 prisoners. The Russian Ministry of Defense said on Telegram: "On August 24, 146 Russian soldiers returned from areas controlled by the Kiev regime," and added that "due to the mediation efforts of the UAE, 146 Ukrainian prisoners have been handed over."

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that eight residents from the Kursk region of Russia who were "illegally detained" by Ukraine were also handed over to Russia.

Tatyana Moskalenkova, the Russian Commissioner for Human Rights, wrote on Telegram: "Ukrainian forces entered the Kursk region in August 2024, occupied parts of the region for several months, and were later pushed back by Russian forces with the help of North Korean fighters. Moskalenkova said, "I witnessed this happy event." She referred to the transfer of eight residents from the Kursk region to Russia, and said that the event took place on Belarusian territory.

In a video posted by Ms. Moskalenkova, it can be seen that most of these people are elderly women, who were talking to her in a minibus, smiling.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said that among those released on Sunday was journalist Dmytro Hrylyuk. Mr. Zelenskyy wrote on social media: "This Ukrainian journalist was kidnapped in the Kyiv region in March 2022. He has finally come home."

Andriy Yermak, a senior advisor to the Ukrainian President, said on X-Ray: "The former mayor of Kherson, Vladimir Mykolayenko, was also released at the same time, 'he had been imprisoned for more than three years.' Yermak added: 'In 2022, he was listed on the exchange list, but Vladimir voluntarily refused release so that he could give his place to a sick prisoner who shared his cell.'

Exchanging prisoners and repatriating the bodies of fallen soldiers is one of the few areas where Moscow and Kyiv continue to cooperate after three and a half years of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

According to an agreement reached during three rounds of direct talks held in Istanbul from May to July, the warring parties have exchanged thousands of prisoners this year. Exchanging prisoners is the only specific achievement of these talks. At the last such meeting in July, both sides' delegations could only note the "gap" in their positions on ending the conflict.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841381524405260/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.