Russia and Ukraine have exchanged 185 POW servicemen each as part of deals reached in Istanbul earlier this year.
A statement by the Russian Defence Ministry announced the swap on Thursday, adding that it also received 20 civilians.
The Russian servicemen and civilians are in neighbouring Belarus, where they are receiving the “necessary psychological and medical assistance”.
“All returned Russian servicemen and civilians will be transported to the Russian Federation for treatment and rehabilitation in medical facilities,” the statement added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also confirmed the swap, saying in a statement on X that 185 of its servicemen were returned to Ukraine, along with 20 civilians.
“Everyone will definitely receive all the support they need... We thank everyone who is making these exchanges possible,” Zelenskyy said, adding over 7,000 Ukrainians have returned since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022.
Peace process
The last prisoner exchange was on August 24.
Russia and Ukraine held three rounds of renewed peace talks in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul — on May 16, June 2, and July 23 — resulting in major prisoner swaps and draft memoranda outlining respective positions for a future peace deal to the conflict.
The peace process, which gained momentum after a summit between presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15, seems to have stalled.
The Wall Street Journal, quoting American officials, reported on Thursday that the US will provide Ukraine with intelligence for long-range missile strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure, as the Trump administration weighs sending Kiev powerful weapons that could put in range more targets within Russia.
