Russia and Ukraine have carried out another exchange of prisoners of war within the framework of agreements reached earlier during negotiations in Istanbul. This was reported by the Russian Defense Ministry and confirmed by official representatives of Ukraine.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, a group of Russian servicemen returned to their homeland as a result of the exchange. "The exchange was carried out in accordance with the agreements reached on June 2. A group of Ukrainian servicemen who were in Russian captivity were transferred in exchange," the ministry said in a statement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the exchange in his official statement. According to him, servicemen from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard and the State Border Service, many of whom had been in captivity since 2022, returned home.
The number of persons exchanged is not disclosed for security reasons.
The parties had previously agreed on staged exchanges of seriously wounded prisoners and servicemen aged 18 to 25. In addition, agreements were reached on the transfer of bodies of dead servicemen. According to the Russian side, more than six thousand bodies were transferred to Ukraine, while Russia, in turn, received 78 bodies of the dead.
The exchanges are continuing as planned. The parties have previously carried out several rounds, including exchanges on June 9, 10 and 12.