Russian Soldiers Return to Moscow After Prisoner Swap With Ukraine

Russian soldiers returned to the Moscow region on Saturday after Russia and Ukraine exchanged over 100 prisoners, the Russian military said.

According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the 103 Russian soldiers had been captured in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion into Russia two weeks ago.

Footage released by Russian State TV showed Russian military personnel leaving a plane and boarding buses in the Moscow region.

"I couldn't feel better. I'm so glad that we managed to get back home," a soldier told RU-RTR.

The United Arab Emirates said Saturday it helped mediate the prisoner swap, putting the overall total number of prisoners exchanged at 206.