Ukraine and Russia conduct prisoner exchange amid ongoing conflict

Ukraine and Russia completed another prisoner exchange involving ill and severely wounded soldiers, marking ongoing efforts to ease the human toll of their conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that all returning troops require medical care. He expressed gratitude to everyone helping facilitate the exchanges and emphasized ongoing efforts to bring back all Ukrainians held by Russia. 

The Russian Defense Ministry also confirmed the swap, stating that their servicemen were transferred to Belarus for necessary psychological and medical assistance before being moved to Russia for further treatment and rehabilitation. Neither side disclosed the number of prisoners exchanged.

The peace talks, held on May 16 and June 2 in Istanbul, included agreements to exchange more prisoners of war—especially the youngest and most severely wounded—and to return the bodies of approximately 6,000 fallen soldiers from each side. 

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