Ukraine and Russia have completed another prisoner of war exchange, the fourth in just one week. Both sides confirmed the swap on Saturday, following agreements made in Istanbul earlier this month. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the development on social media, stating that Ukraine was still working to bring its citizens home from Russian custody.
Russia’s defence ministry also confirmed the exchange on Telegram, saying its soldiers had returned from areas controlled by Ukraine. Along with the swap, Kyiv revealed it received 1,200 unidentified bodies from Russia. According to Ukraine, Russia claimed the remains were those of Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel. However, Ukrainian authorities did not confirm if any bodies were returned to Russia in this round of exchange.
Zelensky posted photos of the returned Ukrainian soldiers, showing men of different ages, many with shaved heads and wrapped in Ukrainian flags. Some looked injured, others were seen stepping off buses, embracing loved ones or making calls with emotional expressions.
Meanwhile, Russia released its own video, showing uniformed men holding national flags and chanting patriotic slogans such as “Russia, Russia” and “glory to Russia,” with some raising their fists in celebration.
The exchange took place as Russia continued to resist ceasefire efforts and pushed harder along the front lines. The heaviest activity was in the northeastern Sumy region, where Russian forces aim to create a buffer zone to protect the bordering Kursk region. Zelensky claimed that Ukrainian troops had halted the Russian advance there and successfully reclaimed one village. He also stated that Russia had deployed about 53,000 troops in the area for the operation.
