Moscow and Kiev have exchanged 150 prisoners with the UAE mediator, as fighting continues in Kharkiv province and eastern Ukraine.

“After negotiations, 75 Russian servicemen were returned from the hands of the Ukrainian authorities. In return, 75 Ukrainian prisoners of war were also handed over to the other side,” the Russian Defense Ministry announced on May 31. The Russian military said the soldiers would be flown to Moscow for treatment and recovery, adding that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had brokered the deal.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on the same day that 75 Ukrainian citizens, including 71 soldiers and 4 civilians, had been returned by Russia. The Ukrainian government’s Coordination Committee for the Handling of Prisoners of War said 19 of them had participated in the defense of Snake Island off the coast of Odessa in the early stages of the war, adding that the Russian military also handed over the bodies of 212 Ukrainian soldiers under the agreement.

The handover comes as Russia steps up its offensive in several areas along the frontline, including the northeastern Ukrainian province of Kharkiv.

Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov said on May 31 that Russian units were advancing in all tactical directions and pushing Ukrainian forces back from their positions. “The active combat operations of Russian forces in key areas of the Kharkiv region forced the enemy to retreat 8-9 km. The Russian military has gained control of 880 square kilometers of territory this year,” he said.

The Russian Defense Ministry later announced that 45 Ukrainian soldiers had surrendered in the past week.

The most recent prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine took place on February 8, when each side handed over 100 people to the other.

Moscow and Kiev have spoken more than 50 times since fighting broke out in February 2022. Ukrainian officials have confirmed that more than 3,000 of their soldiers have been released. Russia has not released a total number, but at least 1,200 are believed to have returned.