Russia, Ukraine carry out major prisoner of war swap under Istanbul deal
Dozens of captured troops returned on both sides, with Russia transferring personnel to Belarus for rehabilitation
Ukrainian soldiers are seen after returning home in Ukraine, on June 12, 2025.
ISTANBUL
Russia and Ukraine on Thursday carried out a prisoner exchange in line with an agreement reached earlier this month in Istanbul, according to statements from both sides.
The Russian Defense Ministry said a group of its servicemen was returned from Ukrainian-controlled territory and are now in Belarus receiving medical and psychological support.
“All Russian military personnel will be transported to the Russian Federation for treatment and rehabilitation,” the ministry added.
In return, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that a group of Ukrainian soldiers held in Russia was brought home.
“These are soldiers of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Service. Most of them have been in captivity since 2022,” the first year of the war, he said.
He noted that the freed soldiers had defended Ukraine across several regions, including Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, and the capital Kyiv.
“Our goal is to free each and every one,” Zelenskyy said, thanking those who facilitated the swap.
