Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the two countries have engaged in multiple prisoner exchanges.

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates. The Russian defence ministry said it had swapped 150 Ukrainian soldiers held captive for an equal number of Russian troops. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy said 189 Ukrainians had returned home.

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners of war in the latest such swap that released hundreds of captives and was brokered with the help of the United Arab Emirates

Russia and Ukraine swapped more than 300 prisoners of war on Monday, in an exchange brokered by the UAE ahead of New Year's Eve, officials from all three countries said. The two sides have exchanged hundreds of captive soldiers since Russia began its military assault on Ukraine in February 2022, in one of the few areas of cooperation.

The Russian defence ministry says 150 prisoners were released on each side under the UAE-brokered deal.

Russia has found that expendable convict-soldiers can clear the way for regular troops, but these tactics come at a massive cost.

Ukraine and Russia carried out a new exchange of prisoners of war on Monday, with Kyiv bringing home 189 former captives, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday. Zelenskiy thanked the United Arab Emirates and other partners for facilitating the swap.