#PRISONER EXCHANGE

Russia and Ukraine conducted a major exchange of prisoners on Saturday, 206 in all, in their second such swap in two days, following negotiations mediated by the United Arab Emirates, officials said.

A Russian human rights activist freed as part of a prisoner swap between Russia and Western countries has vowed to continue to fight for the release of other detainees still held by Moscow.

Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister has struck back at accusations that the country lost out in Thursday’s international exchange of prisoners by surrendering its most valuable Russian asset.

The Presidents of the U.S. and Poland held a phone conversation late on Thursday during which Biden thanked Duda for the Polish role in facilitating the release of political prisoners, among them U.S. citizens, held by Russia.

The Polish foreign minister has said that efforts to free the Polish journalist held in Belarus are being “pursued separately” from the latest large-scale prisoner swap between Russia and the West.

Poland assisted in the release of political prisoners held by Russia and Belarus by releasing a Russian spy detained in 2022, Polish officials said.