Russia, Ukraine conduct humanitarian exchange of 185 prisoners

In line with agreements reached between Russia and Ukraine on July 23 in Istanbul, both countries have carried out a major prisoner exchange involving 185 servicemen from each side.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defence's statement, 185 Russian servicemen were returned in exchange for 185 Ukrainian prisoners of war. In addition, 20 civilians were repatriated as part of the operation.

Currently, the Russian servicemen and civilians are in Belarus, where they are receiving necessary psychological and medical support.

This latest transfer follows a previous exchange on August 14, when Russia and Ukraine each released 84 individuals. The Russian Defence Ministry noted that the United Arab Emirates had assisted in mediating that exchange on humanitarian grounds.

Humanitarian efforts have also included the repatriation of the remains of approximately 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers, according to Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, as of August 19. Among these were the bodies of five servicemen who had died in captivity; these individuals had previously been classified as “seriously wounded and seriously ill” prisoners scheduled for exchange under the agreements reached during the second round of Istanbul talks.

The framework for these exchanges was initially established in early June during meetings between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul. The agreements prioritised the return of seriously wounded soldiers, prisoners aged 18 to 25, and the repatriation of deceased soldiers’ remains. The first exchanges under this framework occurred on June 9, followed by a subsequent round on July 4.

Russian officials also noted that in mid-June, “indefinite sanitary exchanges” were launched, allowing the transfer of wounded soldiers without preconditions, although details of these arrangements have not been publicly disclosed.

By Tamilla Hasanova