Moscow: Russia and Ukraine on Thursday carried out a prisoner exchange in line with an agreement reached earlier this month in Istanbul, according to statements from both sides. The exchange marks a significant development in ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions between the two nations.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that a group of its servicemen was successfully returned from Ukrainian-controlled territory. The released personnel are currently in Belarus where they are receiving medical and psychological support. The ministry further stated that all Russian military personnel will eventually be transported to the Russian Federation for further treatment and rehabilitation.

In a parallel announcement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that a group of Ukrainian soldiers held captive in Russia has been brought back home. Zelenskyy specified that the repatriated individuals include soldiers from the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the State Border Service. He highlighted that most of these soldiers have been in captivity since 2022, the first year of the ongoing conflict.

President Zelenskyy also emphasized the contributions of the freed soldiers, noting that they had defended Ukraine across multiple regions, including Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, and Kyiv. He reiterated Ukraine's commitment to securing the release of all its citizens, expressing gratitude to those who played a role in facilitating the prisoner swap.