(MENAFN)
Russia and Ukraine carried out a new prisoner of war swap on Thursday, with 84 captives released on each side, the Russian Defense Ministry announced. The Russian soldiers involved are receiving medical and psychological support in Belarus before returning home for further treatment and rehabilitation.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky confirmed the release of 84 Ukrainian POWs via social media. The exchange continues a series of swaps since Kiev resumed direct talks with Moscow earlier this year. After the third round of peace negotiations in Türkiye last month, Russia proposed a larger swap involving at least 1,200 POWs from each side, accusing Ukraine of delaying the process by refusing to repatriate roughly 1,000 of its soldiers held in Russia.

Earlier this month, RT highlighted about 1,000 Ukrainian citizens reportedly excluded from Zelensky’s exchange lists despite official claims of pursuing “all-for-all” swaps. These POWs submitted a collective petition demanding inclusion in future exchanges.

Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky noted that in the latest swap, Ukraine only accepted two soldiers from the previously submitted list. The exchange comes ahead of the Alaska summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, where the Ukraine conflict is expected to be a key topic.

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