Russia and Ukraine Exchange Prisoners of War, Including Young and Wounded Soldiers

 

Russia and Ukraine Exchange Prisoners of War, Including Young and Wounded Soldiers

Russia and Ukraine carried out a prisoner exchange on Monday involving young soldiers under 25 and severely wounded prisoners, marking potentially the largest swap of the ongoing conflict. The exchange was the result of direct talks held in Istanbul on June 2, which envisioned swapping at least 1,200 prisoners from each side and repatriating bodies of those killed in the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that the first group of prisoners had been received and that the exchange process would continue over several days. He emphasized the complexity and sensitivity of the negotiations and the importance of honoring humanitarian agreements.

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Both sides did not specify the exact number of prisoners swapped on Monday, but Russia stated that an equal number of military personnel were exchanged. The Russian Defense Ministry said the returnees are currently in Belarus receiving psychological and medical assistance before being transferred to Russia.

Russia reiterated its willingness to honor the prisoner exchange agreements despite allegations from Ukraine about delays, which Kyiv denied.