Ukraine and Russia have carried out their fourth prisoner of war (POW) exchange in one week, continuing the phased repatriation agreed upon during peace talks in Istanbul earlier this month. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the latest swap on social media, highlighting that many of the soldiers returned had been held captive since 2022.
“We continue to take our people out of Russian captivity. This is the fourth exchange in a week,” Zelenskyy wrote, sharing photos of returning servicemen, many visibly emotional and draped in Ukrainian flags. The released prisoners include members of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, National Guard, Border Guard Service, and other military branches, with a focus on severely wounded, seriously ill, and younger soldiers.
Russia’s Defense Ministry also confirmed the exchange, stating that Russian servicemen held by Ukraine were returned in accordance with the agreement. Videos released by Moscow showed Russian soldiers celebrating their return.
Alongside the prisoner swaps, Russia has returned the bodies of approximately 1,200 Ukrainian soldiers as part of the Istanbul deal, which also includes the repatriation of deceased servicemen. Ukraine has not confirmed whether it has returned any bodies to Russia.
These exchanges come amid ongoing hostilities, with Russia intensifying military operations in northeastern Ukraine’s Sumy region, while Ukrainian forces claim to have halted the advance and retaken territory.
The prisoner swap process is expected to continue in phases over the coming weeks, reflecting a rare area of cooperation amid the broader conflict that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
