Did Russia and Ukraine Just Complete Another Prisoner Swap?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Russia and Ukraine completed another prisoner exchange on July 4.
- The exchange was part of agreements made in Istanbul on June 2.
- A group of Ukrainian Armed Forces prisoners was also released.
- Returning soldiers will receive medical and psychological support.
- Negotiations continue to facilitate the return of all captive individuals.
Moscow, July 4 (NationPress) On Friday, Russia and Ukraine executed yet another phase of their prisoner exchange, as reported by the Russian Defense Ministry. According to agreements made on June 2 in Istanbul, a new contingent of Russian military personnel has been returned from areas under Ukrainian control, the ministry announced.
In this exchange, a group of Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel was also released. However, the exact number of individuals exchanged from both nations was not disclosed.
The returning Russian servicemen are currently in Belarus and will be transported to Russia for medical treatment and rehabilitation in military medical facilities, as noted by Xinhua news agency.
During recent discussions in Istanbul, Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement for an “all-for-all” exchange that includes seriously ill and wounded prisoners, as well as soldiers aged under 25.
Previously, on June 26, another prisoner exchange took place, according to Ukraine's Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
This swap included soldiers under 25 years old, along with ill and injured servicemen from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, National Guard, and State Border Guard Service, according to their statement.
Many of those freed had been in captivity for over three years, with some involved in the fierce battles for Mariupol, as stated in the announcement.
All returning soldiers are set to receive a thorough medical examination, psychological support, and physical rehabilitation, as indicated in the report.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted the necessity of ensuring that all Ukrainians are brought back home from Russian detention in a post shared on Telegram.
On June 19, another group of captured servicemen was returned during a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine, as detailed by the Russian Defense Ministry.
“Following the agreements established in Istanbul on June 2, a group of Russian servicemen was released from Ukrainian captivity in a Kyiv-controlled area. In turn, a group of Ukrainian war prisoners was handed over to Kyiv,” the ministry reported.