Russia and Ukraine carried out another prisoner exchange on Sunday, involving 146 individuals, according to the Russian Defence Ministry. The United Arab Emirates mediated the swap, which comes amid ongoing humanitarian negotiations despite no breakthrough on a broader ceasefire.

As part of the exchange, Ukraine also returned eight civilians from Russia’s Kursk region, an area briefly occupied by Ukrainian forces during their surprise offensive in August 2024 before Russia retook control earlier this year.

The released Russian servicemen were transferred to Belarus, where they are receiving medical and psychological care before being flown back to Russia, officials confirmed.

This latest exchange builds on agreements reached in Istanbul during the third round of peace talks held on July 23. Both sides had previously committed to exchanging at least 1,200 prisoners each. Earlier swaps in May and June included arrangements for the release of seriously ill or wounded soldiers, young servicemen under 25, and the repatriation of bodies of the fallen.

Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported that more than 1,000 Ukrainian servicemen have returned home under these arrangements.

After the July talks, Ukraine’s chief delegate Rustem Umerov acknowledged “progress on the humanitarian track” but said no headway had been made toward a ceasefire. Moscow’s lead negotiator Vladimir Medinsky stressed that a leaders’ summit should focus on finalizing an agreement, not restarting negotiations. He reiterated Russia’s proposal for short ceasefires lasting 24–48 hours to allow for retrieval of bodies, an idea Kyiv rejected in favor of an immediate and longer truce.

The latest exchange highlights limited but ongoing humanitarian cooperation amid the continuing war.