Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed the release of 115 prisoners of war from Russia. 

In a statement released on Saturday, Mr Zelenskyy thanked the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for acting as an intermediary between the countries.

It is the first such prisoner swap since Ukraine launched its offensive inside Russia this month.

Mr Zelenskyy confirmed the swap on social media and described the released prisoners as "warriors". 

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Russian servicemen swapped were captured in the Kursk region.

All released Russian soldiers are now in Belarus and will receive medical treatment and rehabilitation upon their return to Russia.

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's commissioner for human rights, said 82 of the returned Ukrainians defended the port of Mariupol in 2022.

The UAE foreign ministry said in a statement that 230 prisoners had been released in total, an equal number on both sides.

"The ministry considered that the success of the new mediation — the seventh of its kind since the beginning of 2024 — embodies the friendly and partnership relations between the UAE and the two countries," the statement read.

"The ministry also affirmed the UAE's continued efforts to support all efforts and initiatives aimed at reaching a peaceful solution to the conflict between the two countries, stressing that dialogue and reducing the level of tension are the only way to resolve the crisis, which will contribute to mitigating the resulting humanitarian impacts."

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the UAE has mediated seven prisoner exchanges and the latest prisoner release brings the total to 1,788.

Abu Dhabi, a close security partner of the United States, has maintained warm relations with Moscow throughout the war, frustrating some Western officials.

It has also strengthened ties with Kyiv.

UAE officials say that their ability to talk to a range of international actors means that they can effectively mediate between parties and promote cooperation and security.

On August 6, Ukraine's military launched a surprise attack into Russia's Kursk region. 

Ukraine claims its forces now control more than 1,250 square kilometres and 93 settlements across Kursk, which sits along its north-eastern border.

The incursion is the biggest invasion of Russia by a foreign power since World War II, and is changing the trajectory of the war.

Kyiv has said it has carved out a buffer zone in the Kursk area as Russia, which sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, used it to pound targets in Ukraine.

ABC/Reuters