KYIV, Ukraine (BN24) — Russia and Ukraine on Monday launched a significant prisoner of war exchange involving young servicemembers and those with severe injuries, marking the first phase of what could become the largest swap since the start of the war.
The exchange, confirmed by both governments, follows direct negotiations held in Istanbul on June 2. During those talks, officials agreed to a wide-scale humanitarian deal that includes the return of at least 1,200 POWs from each side and the repatriation of thousands of fallen soldiers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement on Telegram that a group of Ukrainian prisoners had returned home, and the broader exchange would take place over several days.
“Today’s exchange has begun. It will be done in several stages in the coming days,” Zelenskyy said. “The process is quite complex, with many sensitive details, and negotiations continue virtually every day. We count on the full implementation of the humanitarian agreements reached during the meeting in Istanbul.”
Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine’s commitment to recovering every captured citizen, saying, “We are doing everything possible to bring back every single person.”
Neither Ukraine nor Russia disclosed the number of prisoners exchanged on Monday. However, Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that the swap involved an equal number of military personnel from each side.
Over the weekend, Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky said Moscow had already submitted an initial list of 640 names to Ukraine for the first phase of the exchange.
According to Russian officials, the returning Russian troops are currently in Belarus, a close ally of Moscow, where they are receiving psychological and medical care before being relocated to Russia for further treatment.
The Kremlin confirmed earlier Monday that it was prepared to fulfill the agreed terms of the POW and body repatriation agreement, though it accused Ukraine of previously delaying aspects of the deal. Ukrainian officials rejected those claims.
Despite deep-seated hostilities and a war that has entered its fourth year, the mutual return of prisoners and fallen soldiers remains one of the few areas where both countries have managed to find common ground.
