Ukraine and Russia have conducted their first prisoner exchange in over four months, involving more than 300 people, following negotiations between representatives of both sides in Abu Dhabi.
Foreign news agencies report that Ukrainian and Russian authorities carried out another prisoner and civilian exchange on Thursday, 5 Feb 2026, after two days of peace talks in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with the United States acting as mediator.
This prisoner release marks the first in over four months, with 157 Ukrainians, including 7 civilians, and 157 Russian soldiers being returned home.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on social media that Thursday’s prisoner exchange happened after a pause since October last year.
“We are bringing everyone home: 157 Ukrainians, including soldiers from the army, national guard, immigration and border units, and civilians are returning alongside the soldiers. Most have been detained since 2012,” the Ukrainian president said, pledging to bring back all those still held in Russia.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense stated that Kyiv returned 157 Russian prisoners and added that 3 Russian civilians who were wrongfully detained were also released. These civilians lived in the Kursk region to the west, which Ukrainian forces attacked and occupied parts of between 2024 and 2025.
Negotiators from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States took part in talks in the UAE capital, where the main remaining conflicts reportedly centered on Ukraine’s territorial concessions under pressure and security guarantees to prevent future Russian attacks.
The two-day meeting ended without significant progress. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the negotiations were difficult and that he hoped for quicker results.
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Source:bbc