A prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia has officially commenced, with confirmations from both Kyiv and Moscow regarding the ongoing exchange. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine announced that this exchange will occur "in several stages" over the upcoming days, specifically mentioning the return of wounded soldiers, those in severe condition, as well as younger servicemen under 25. Zelensky shared the update on Telegram, stating, "The process is quite complicated, there are many sensitive details, negotiations continue virtually every day."
In a reciprocal gesture, Russia reported a similar return of prisoners of war to Ukraine; however, neither party disclosed specific numbers concerning the participants in this exchange. The Russian defense ministry specified that it included "the first group of Russian servicemen under the age of 25," brought back from areas under the control of Ukraine following an agreement achieved during talks hosted in Turkey last week.
Just as in previous exchanges, the returned Russian soldiers will be provided with psychological and medical support in Belarus. Families of prisoners of war from Ukraine congregated in the Chernihiv region, near the Belarusian border, to welcome back the ex-prisoners and seek updates about those still unaccounted for. Notably, last week both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of hindering the repatriation of deceased soldiers’ bodies.
This exchange follows a significant trading of 390 soldiers and civilians by each side in late May—the largest since the escalation of conflict began in 2022. Simultaneously, military hostilities continue; Russia reportedly launched an unprecedented 479 drones aimed at various regions in Ukraine, including attacks on Rivne, previously less targeted. The Russian defense ministry characterized the strikes on Rivne's Dubno base as "retaliatory" measures in response to recent Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian airbases.
While damage has been reported across multiple areas following these strikes, there were no immediate indications of casualties. In the face of this increasing aggression from Russia, Ukraine responded with its own strikes, targeting a Russian airbase in Nizhny Novgorod—approximately 400 miles from its borders—and claims of inflicting damage on enemy aircraft. Additionally, Ukraine struck an electronics facility suspected of manufacturing drone guidance systems, with visuals documenting significant explosions and fire, leading to a halt in production at the site.
