Russia and Ukraine confirm another prisoner swap after Türkiye meeting

Russia and Ukraine have carried out a new prisoner exchange, officials from both countries confirmed on Thursday, following talks earlier this month in Türkiye.

Neither side disclosed the number of troops released in the swap, which comes despite continued fighting and a lack of progress on ending the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X that the returning soldiers included members of the Armed Forces, National Guard, and Border Guard.

“Most of them have been in captivity since 2022. We’re doing everything possible to find and verify each person. We must bring all our people home,” he wrote, thanking those involved in securing the exchange.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence also confirmed the return of its servicemen. In a statement on Telegram, it said the released soldiers had arrived in Belarus and were receiving medical and psychological support before being transferred to Russia for rehabilitation.

The exchange follows a rare in-person meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Türkiye on 2 June, during which both sides agreed to exchange at least 1,000 prisoners — one of the few areas of cooperation since war began in 2022.

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