Russia Returns 84 Soldiers, Receives 84 in Latest Ukraine Exchange

Russia and Ukraine have carried out a new prisoner exchange, each side releasing 84 captives. The exchange was confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Defense, marking the latest step in an ongoing series of swaps between the two countries.

“On August 14, 84 Russian servicemen were returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime. In return, 84 Ukrainian Armed Forces prisoners were handed over,” the ministry announced.

In recent months, several stages of prisoner exchanges have taken place between Moscow and Kyiv, with most conducted under the framework of the Istanbul agreements. The implementation of these agreements was completed in July.

Following the third round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Istanbul on July 23, head of the Russian delegation Vladimir Medinsky proposed initiating a new exchange involving at least 1,200 prisoners from each side. This proposal was publicly supported by the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC).

Russia also expressed readiness to return the remains of 3,000 Ukrainian servicemen as part of the broader exchange initiative.