On the 19th (local time), Russia and Ukraine conducted a prisoner exchange.
The Ministry of National Defense of Russia stated in a statement that “Russian soldiers who were captured in Ukraine have returned” and “in exchange, Ukrainian military prisoners were repatriated.”
Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 1,000 injured individuals and young prisoners under 25 years old during negotiations held in Istanbul, Turkey, on the 2nd. However, the scale of this prisoner exchange has not been disclosed.
The Ministry of National Defense of Russia explained that the released Russian soldiers are receiving medical and psychological support in Belarus and will be moved to Ministry of National Defense medical facilities for treatment and rehabilitation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted on Telegram that “our soldiers, who were detained in Russia, are returning from Russia” and “most of them had been prisoners since 2022.”
According to the Ukrainian war prisoner coordination headquarters, most of those captured are suffering from serious health issues and diseases, such as muscle atrophy, ulcers, vision problems, musculoskeletal disorders, and cardiovascular diseases.