(MENAFN) Russia and Ukraine conducted a prisoner exchange on Thursday, swapping 185 servicemen each, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed. The ministry’s statement also noted the transfer of 20 civilians to Russia.

The released Russian servicemen and civilians are currently in neighboring Belarus, where they are receiving “necessary psychological and medical assistance.”

“All returned Russian servicemen and civilians will be transported to the Russian Federation for treatment and rehabilitation in medical facilities,” the statement added.

Ukraine has not yet confirmed the swap.

The exchange follows three rounds of renewed peace talks held in Istanbul on May 16, June 2, and July 23, which resulted in significant prisoner swaps and draft memoranda outlining positions for a potential peace agreement. These talks began gaining traction after a summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15 but appear to have since stalled.

Meanwhile, media, citing U.S. officials, reported on Thursday that the Trump administration is set to provide Ukraine with intelligence to support long-range missile strikes targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure. The U.S. is reportedly considering sending Kyiv powerful weapons capable of reaching deeper into Russian territory.

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