Russia and Ukraine prisoner swap currently under way

A prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine is currently underway, with both governments confirming the operation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the exchange process would take place “in several stages” over the coming days.

He explained that the focus is on returning wounded, seriously injured soldiers, as well as those under the age of 25.

In a message posted on Telegram, Zelensky described the exchange as a “quite complicated” process, involving numerous sensitive details and ongoing daily negotiations.

He emphasized that the dialogue between the two countries remains active and that efforts to bring Ukrainian soldiers home are continuing steadily.

Russia also confirmed the exchange, stating that a “similar number” of its prisoners of war were being returned from Ukrainian custody.

However, neither side disclosed the exact number of individuals involved in the transfer.

According to Russia’s defence ministry, the first group of Russian servicemen, specifically those under 25, had been repatriated following an agreement reached during talks held in Turkey the previous week.

As in previous prisoner exchanges, Moscow reported that the returned Russian soldiers were receiving medical and psychological support, with treatment provided in Belarus.

The support is aimed at helping the servicemen recover from captivity and reintegrate into society.

On the Ukrainian side, families of prisoners of war and missing soldiers gathered in the Chernihiv region, near the border with Belarus.

Many were there to welcome home released soldiers, while others came in hopes of receiving updates about loved ones still held captive.

The emotional scenes underscored the human toll of the ongoing conflict and the deep need for closure among affected families.

This latest exchange follows a significant operation in late May, when Ukraine and Russia each released 390 individuals.

These included both military personnel and civilians, in what was the largest prisoner exchange since the full-scale Russian invasion began in 2022.

That swap marked a notable moment in the ongoing conflict, although tensions quickly resurfaced when both sides later accused each other of blocking efforts to repatriate the bodies of dead soldiers.

Meanwhile, fighting has continued on the ground and in the air.

On the night of the latest exchange, Russia launched a record-setting aerial assault on Ukraine, deploying 479 drones across multiple regions.

The attack included strikes on Rivne in western Ukraine, a region that has until now seen relatively few assaults during the war.

Russia’s defence ministry claimed the attack on Rivne targeted the Dubno airbase, describing the strike as one of several retaliatory actions in response to Ukraine’s bold drone offensive on Russian airfields conducted on June 1.

Though several regions sustained damage during the drone barrage, Ukrainian authorities reported no casualties.

The scale and frequency of Russia’s drone strikes have increased notably in recent weeks, with each new wave setting records in terms of volume.

These ongoing bombardments have added to the pressure facing Ukrainian defence systems and civilian infrastructure alike.

In response, Ukraine has intensified its own operations on Russian territory.

Kyiv reported that its forces carried out a successful strike on another airbase in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region, located approximately 400 miles from the Ukrainian border.

According to Ukrainian officials, this airbase houses aircraft capable of launching hypersonic missiles, a major threat to Ukraine’s defenses.

Preliminary assessments indicated that two Russian aircraft were damaged in the attack.

Ukraine also claimed responsibility for an assault on an electronics manufacturing facility that reportedly produces components used to guide drones and aerial bombs.

Video footage of the incident showed a powerful explosion and a subsequent fire at the plant.

Ukrainian sources confirmed that production at the facility has been suspended following the strike.

These developments highlight the ongoing intensity of the conflict, as both sides continue to escalate their military operations while cautiously engaging in negotiations over prisoners and humanitarian issues.

The parallel efforts to exchange prisoners and target strategic infrastructure reflect the complexity and scale of the war, now well into its third year.

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