Ukraine managed to carry out a very complex exchange of prisoners of war, which was prepared for quite a long time, the United Arab Emirates participated in organizing the process, Head of the Main Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov said.

"Another exchange has been carried out, today, finally, after a significant period of time, we managed to carry out a very difficult exchange. Today, 230 of its defenders returned to Ukraine, among whom there is a combat medic and a defender from Zmiiny Island, Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, who were in the early days captured from Azovstal, border guards, police, national guardsmen, Ukrainian Armed Forces – that is, absolutely all categories. This exchange has been prepared for quite a long time," Budanov said after the exchange on Wednesday, a video of the approach was published by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

The head of intelligence said the UAE side also directly took part in organizing this process.

"And with its help, we were able to do this together," he said.

As reported, the largest exchange of prisoners of war since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine took place between Ukraine and Russia, as part of which it was possible to free 230 Ukrainian men and women.