On Wednesday, Russia and Ukraine announced the exchange of about 448 prisoners, in the first official exchange between them in several months, in the midst of escalating mutual strikes, and after “complex” negotiations that included mediation by the UAE. The Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement: “Following a complex negotiation process, 248 Russian soldiers were recovered from the territories controlled by the Kiev regime.” In turn, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that "more than 200 soldiers and civilians have returned from Russian captivity."