Moscow and Kiev have conducted another exchange of prisoners of war, the Russian Defense Ministry has reported
Russian Ministry of Defense
A group of Russian servicemen has been returned from territories controlled by Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday. The exchange took place in accordance with the agreements reached by Moscow and Kiev in Istanbul earlier this month, the ministry said.
In a statement on its official Telegram channel, the ministry shared a video of the Russian soldiers draped in Russian flags and boarding a bus to begin their journey home.
The servicemen are currently in Belarus where they are said to be receiving all necessary psychological and medical assistance. They will later be transported to Russia for further treatment and rehabilitation, the ministry said.
The statement added that Ukrainian prisoners of war were sent back to Ukraine in exchange. Neither side has disclosed the numbers involved though a source has told RT that the exchange was equal.
Russian Ministry of Defense
Thursday’s swap is the latest in a string of exchanges conducted by Russia and Ukraine since their latest direct talks in Istanbul on June 2. The previous exchange took place last Friday and another one was conducted the previous day.
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The humanitarian exchanges since the June 2 negotiations have also included repatriation of the remains of slain soldiers. Russia has returned the remains of over 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers and received 57 in return.