Russia, Ukraine confirm new prisoner swap after talks in Istanbul

Published connected 27/06/2025 - 2:17 GMT+2•Updated 5:00

Prisoners of warfare (POWs) were welcomed backmost successful Ukraine arsenic portion of a swap woody with Russia and were greeted by waiting relatives.

The release, carried retired nether the Istanbul agreements, included wounded troops and soldiers with wellness issues, arsenic good arsenic respective defenders nether the property of 25.

Many of the freed servicemembers had spent much than 3 years successful Russian captivity, with a important fig taken prisoners during the 2022 defence of Mariupol.

Hundreds of families of POWs and missing Ukrainian servicemen gathered adjacent the infirmary hoping to find their loved ones oregon accusation astir them among others.

This speech brought happiness to 53-year-old Svitlana Nosal whose hubby Viktor was captured successful Mariupol 38 months ago.

"It is simply a existent happiness to hug a loved one," said Svitlana Nosal.

Among the crowd, 11-year-old Hordii Zavatskyi holds the representation of his begetter Mykola who was missing 18 period agone successful the Bakhmut direction.

His biggest imagination is to spot his father. The lad attends each protestation and speech with his parent Tetiana.

"I'm present due to the fact that I privation my dada back, truthful I tin spot him, hug him," said Hordii Zavatskyi.

Amid the hostilities, the 2 sides person continued swaps of prisoners of warfare agreed connected during caller talks betwixt their delegations successful Istanbul. Russia’s defence ministry and Ukrainian authorities said different speech took spot connected Thursday.

Earlier successful the day, Russia’s defence ministry confirmed Thursday that a radical of prisoners of warfare had been released and arrived successful Belarus earlier being transported backmost to Russia.

It said successful a station connected Telegram that the men were presently successful Belarus and receiving each indispensable aesculapian enactment without specifying their number.

A video posted by the ministry showed cheering soldiers covered with Russian flags boarding a bus.