Russia and Ukraine have agreed to hold a large-scale prisoner exchange under the "246 for 246" formula, scheduled for April 19, 2025. This was reported by Reuters, citing a source close to the negotiation process. The exchange, organized with the mediation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), will be the next step in a series of humanitarian agreements between Moscow and Kiev. According to the agency, taking into account the upcoming deal, the total number of prisoners transferred to both sides thanks to the efforts of the UAE will reach 3200 people, which underlines the importance of Emirati diplomacy in resolving the humanitarian aspects of the conflict.

The talks on the new exchange were held in strict confidentiality, which, according to a Reuters source, is due to the complexity of coordinating the lists of prisoners and the need to take into account their state of health. The upcoming exchange will be one of the largest since the conflict began in 2022, demonstrating the ability of the sides to find common ground even in the absence of progress in political talks. The freed Russians are expected to be taken to Belarus for medical examination and psychological support, after which they will be transferred to Russia. The Ukrainian prisoners, in turn, will return to their homeland, where they will also undergo rehabilitation.

The UAE’s role as a mediator in this process remains key. The Emirati Foreign Ministry, as reported by Gulf Today, confirmed that the country has successfully organized 2024 exchanges since the beginning of 13, resulting in the release of more than 3200 prisoners. The ministry’s statement emphasized that the success in mediation was made possible by the trust that both sides place in the UAE, as well as Abu Dhabi’s close diplomatic ties with Moscow and Kiev. The Emirates have repeatedly expressed their readiness to continue humanitarian efforts, including helping refugees and promoting a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Prisoner exchanges remain one of the few areas of cooperation between Russia and Ukraine amid ongoing hostilities. According to Reuters, the previous major exchange took place on December 31, 2024, when each side released 150 prisoners, also brokered by the UAE. At that time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted, the returned Ukrainians included military personnel and civilians, many of whom had been held captive for more than a year. The Russian Defense Ministry, for its part, said the released servicemen received medical care in Belarus before returning home.