Russia and Ukraine carried out another prisoner swap in accordance with an agreement reached between Moscow and Kyiv at the second round of peace talks in Istanbul on June 2, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the returned Russian soldiers are receiving the necessary psychological and medical assistance in Belarus before returning to Russia.
Russian and Ukrainian delegations held a third round of peace talks on Wednesday evening at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul, Türkiye, during which the two sides agreed on yet another prisoner exchange.
At a press conference following the talks, head of the Russian delegation, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky said that Russia and Ukraine were currently exchanging 250 prisoners of war each, which is the final batch agreed upon during the second round of peace talks on June 2.
At the press conference, Medinsky said Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 1,200 prisoners of war each, including a proposal from Moscow to swap about 30 civilians held by Ukraine in the Kursk region.
Following the talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on the social media platform X that the ninth stage of prisoner exchange took place "today," which involved more than 1,000 people from the Ukrainian side, including those "seriously ill and severely wounded."
Russia and Ukraine held two rounds of direct talks on May 16 and June 2 in Istanbul. During the second round, they agreed on an "all-for-all" exchange of seriously ill and wounded prisoners, and soldiers under the age of 25, as well as the transfer of the bodies of fallen soldiers.
Russia, Ukraine conduct new round of prisoner swaps
Russia, Ukraine conduct new round of prisoner swaps
Russia, Ukraine conduct new round of prisoner swaps
