Russian civilians and soldiers return home in prisoner swap with Ukraine (VIDEOS)
The first groups of around 120 civilians and 270 military personnel released from Ukrainian captivity as part of a major prisoner exchange safely returned to Russia on Friday evening.
While Moscow and Kiev have conducted several prisoner swaps since the escalation of hostilities in 2022, this exchange is expected to be the largest to date. The two sides agreed to a 1,000-for-1,000 exchange during last week's direct negotiations in Istanbul — the first such talks since Ukraine unilaterally withdrew from dialogue in 2022.
Each country returned 270 soldiers and 120 civilians in the initial phase of the deal. The Russian soldiers were first transferred to Belarus, a close ally of Moscow, before being flown to the Russian capital, according to footage shared by Russian media outlets.
Some of the freed civilians have already been brought home to the Kursk Region. Russia's Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova welcomed the release of 'civilians and political prisoners' captured during Ukraine's raid into the region last year, noting that some of them required medical assistance, and that 'the story of each of them is akin to an adventure novel or a political thriller.' She also added that around 34 residents of Kursk remain in Ukrainian custody.
The swap is expected to continue in the coming days. Once the exchange is complete, Moscow will likely be ready to present its draft peace memorandum to Kiev, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. The Russian side is 'actively working' on the document in accordance with the principles agreed during the Istanbul talks, he added.
According to calculations by the Telegram channel Mash, the Istanbul deal would see Russia recover nearly all of its soldiers captured by Ukraine over the past three years. The channel estimated the total number of Russian prisoners of war at around 1,300, noting that Ukraine would recover only about one-tenth of its troops currently held by Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this week that he had agreed with US President Donald Trump that the next step toward resolving the conflict would involve drafting a memorandum outlining the core principles and timeline for a peace settlement. Trump welcomed the launch of the prisoner swap on Friday, expressing hope that it would 'lead to something big.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
an hour ago
- Russia Today
Ukraine has lost nearly all US-supplied Abrams tanks
The Russian military has reportedly destroyed the majority of US-supplied M1 Abrams tanks delivered to Ukraine, with only five of them remaining operational, RIA Novosti has reported, citing its own analysis. In January 2023, then-US President Joe Biden announced the transfer of 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, with the delivery completed in September that year. Since then, Moscow has consistently targeted the vehicles and has shared numerous videos purporting to show the destruction or capture of the US tanks. In May 2024, one of the vehicles was displayed at the Army-2024 military expo in Moscow, along with other Western-supplied hardware. According to RIA's estimates, the Russian military has destroyed a total of 26 Abrams tanks since February 2024, leaving Ukraine's forces with just five out of 31 of the tanks. The first Abrams was reportedly knocked out on February 26 by the Russian 'Center' military group near Avdeevka. RIA's latest estimates follow a report from the New York Times in March, which cited Ukrainian officials confirming that 19 of the 31 Abrams tanks had already been destroyed or damaged. The newspaper added that the remaining vehicles have been withdrawn from frontline service due to their vulnerability to Russian drone and artillery attacks. Oryx, a Dutch analyst group which tracks visually confirmed equipment losses, has also claimed that as of late 2024, Ukraine had lost at least 22 Abrams tanks. Last week, Russia's Defense Ministry reported that two Ukrainian Abrams tanks had been seized during an operation in Ukraine's Sumy Region. The Defense Ministry released a video showing Russian troops recovering the vehicles, which appeared to be intact. The tanks were reportedly towed to the rear by the 22nd Motor Rifle Regiment after reconnaissance teams secured the area. After Biden's initial announcement of Abrams deliveries to Ukraine, US media outlets hailed the tanks as a 'game changer' for Kiev, particularly ahead of its failed counteroffensive in 2023. However, by September of that year, Ukraine's top military spy, Kirill Budanov, admitted that the tanks were unlikely to survive on the battlefield for long. Former US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan later also acknowledged that the Abrams was 'not useful' for Ukraine. Moscow has criticized the Western weapons deliveries to Kiev, saying they only prolong hostilities and lead to more bloodshed without affecting the outcome.
Russia Today
4 hours ago
- Russia Today
Israel has transferred Patriot missile systems to Ukraine
Israel has quietly transferred US-made Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, Israeli Ambassador to Kiev Mikhail Brodsky has revealed. The country had previously insisted it was only providing humanitarian assistance. 'The Patriot systems we once received from the United States are now in Ukraine,' Brodsky said in an interview with Ukrainian journalist Marichka Dovbenko published on Sunday. 'These were Israeli systems deployed in the early 1990s. We agreed to transfer them. Unfortunately, this hasn't been widely discussed. But when people say that Israel hasn't helped militarily – that's simply not true.' When asked about reports that Israel has been sending military equipment to Ukraine via third countries, Brodsky described it as 'a sensitive issue' that should not be discussed publicly. West Jerusalem has previously claimed it was only delivering humanitarian aid to Ukraine, reportedly out of concern over provoking Russia, which maintains a naval facility and an airbase in neighboring Syria. Israel has emphasized that it seeks to maintain good relations with both Ukraine and Russia. Axios reported in January that the US transferred around 90 Patriot missiles from Israel to Poland for delivery to Ukraine. The New York Times later said Kiev would receive a full Patriot system previously stationed in Israel. According to The Times of Israel, eight systems were retired from service in 2024. Russia's envoy to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, warned last year that any Israeli decision to transfer Patriots to Ukraine would carry 'political consequences.' Moscow has repeatedly argued that foreign arms shipments only escalate the conflict and will not prevent Russia from achieving its objectives. The Kremlin has listed the halt of Western arms deliveries as a precondition for any ceasefire.
Russia Today
8 hours ago
- Russia Today
The West prevented Ukraine from reaching peace in 2022
The Ukraine conflict, now dragging on for more than three years, could have ended within a week if Kiev hadn't listened to its Western backers, Russia's top negotiator and presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky has said. Speaking to RT's Rick Sanchez on his show Sanchez Effect, Medinsky argued Ukraine had a chance to secure a deal on more favorable terms had it not walked away from negotiations in 2022. 'I'm going to tell you something, Rick, that I've probably never said publicly. If Ukraine had wanted it, had been ready, and had been making its own decisions, we could have signed a peace treaty during the first meeting on February 28, 2022. And the terms would have been less harsh than what we're offering today,' he said. Medinsky stated that Ukrainian officials initially accepted Russia's terms but reversed course after consulting with the US and UK. According to him, Ukrainian negotiators told the Russian side: 'Our foreign partners don't support the agreement and will not guarantee aid or security if we sign it.''So we'll fight until either you defeat us or we defeat you,' the Ukrainian delegation reportedly said, according to Medinsky. David Arakhamia, who led the Ukrainian negotiating team during the 2022 Istanbul talks, later confirmed that then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had urged Kiev not to sign a deal with Russia. However, he denied that Johnson's opinion had influenced Ukraine's decision-making. Johnson has also denied pressuring Kiev. The Ukrainian side became even 'less independent' when direct talks resumed in Istanbul last month, Medinsky said, arguing that Kiev's European allies were pushing it to act against its own interests. Russia has demanded that Ukraine recognize its new borders, abandon plans to join NATO, and guarantee the rights of the Russian-speaking minority. President Vladimir Putin has said that Ukraine and the West must address 'the root causes' of the conflict before any ceasefire can be reached.
