Moscow, June 26, 2026
Russia and Ukraine each exchanged 160 prisoners of war on Friday in the latest swap between the two sides, Russian and Ukrainian authorities said.
The Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement that 160 Russian service members had been returned from territory controlled by Kyiv, while 160 Ukrainian prisoners of war were handed over in return.
According to the Ministry, the returned Russian service members are receiving medical and psychological assistance in Belarus before being transferred to Russia for further treatment and rehabilitation, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Ministry also said the United Arab Emirates (UAE) provided humanitarian mediation that facilitated the exchange.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram that the returned Ukrainians had been held captive since 2022.
“Those released include members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the State Special Transport Service, the National Guard and the State Border Guard Service,” Zelensky added.
Friday’s exchange marked the 76th prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia since 2022, when the conflict between the two countries erupted.
According to Russia’s state-owned Tass news agency, Russian human rights ombudsperson Yana Lantarova met with her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmitry Lubinets, on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border to continue humanitarian dialogue.
In June, Russia and Ukraine carried out a 185 for 185 prisoner exchange; similarly, in May, 205 prisoners of war were exchanged.
In February 2025, 150 prisoners of war were exchanged from each side.
“The UAE assisted in the return of the Russian servicemen from captivity through humanitarian mediation,” the Russian Defence Ministry said.
Following their direct negotiations in Istanbul on May 16, 2025, Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each, making the largest prisoner swap since the start of the conflict in 2022.
Similarly, in January 2024, 195 servicemen were exchanged from each side, which was also brokered by the UAE.(Agency)
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