New Prisoner Exchange Between Russia and Ukraine According to Istanbul Agreement

In a significant development within the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, Moscow and Kyiv announced yesterday, Thursday, the implementation of a new prisoner exchange deal, based on an agreement reached by both sides during previous negotiations held in Istanbul earlier this month.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed through his social media accounts the return of a group of Ukrainian soldiers, belonging to the armed forces, national guard, and border guard, to their homes. He shared photos of the liberated soldiers smiling, expressing his pride in their return.

On the other hand, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced in an official statement the recovery of a group of its soldiers who were detained by the Ukrainian side, indicating that they were transferred to Belarus for medical and psychological support before being returned to Russia later.

The statement clarified that the exchange operation took place on June 26, 2025, in accordance with the agreements signed in Istanbul on June 2.

The ministry emphasized that the operation was reciprocal, as an equal number of soldiers from each side were exchanged in a "thousand for a thousand" format, which had been agreed upon in previous rounds of negotiations.

During this deal, young prisoners under the age of 25 and those with serious illnesses were also released, following the "all for all" format, which is considered one of the important humanitarian provisions in the agreement.

A source close to the Russian negotiating delegation told the Russian news agency TASS that the deal went smoothly, and the next phase of the exchange will be prepared after completing the current procedures, as also confirmed by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who hinted at the nearing of a third round of negotiations in Istanbul.

Despite the continuation of such humanitarian initiatives, political negotiations between the parties remain stalled, as Moscow rejects Western and Ukrainian demands for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, while Kyiv considers Russian conditions as "unacceptable dictates."

While the international community awaits any potential political breakthrough, prisoner exchanges remain one of the few indicators of ongoing communication channels between the parties, despite the war that has been ongoing for over two years.