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ARCHIVE - People hold photos of their missing relatives as Ukrainian soldiers return from captivity during a prisoner of war exchange between Russia and Ukraine. Photo: Evgeniy Maloletka/AP/dpa/Archive photo
Keystone
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has announced a new exchange of 1,200 prisoners of war with Russia. Work on the lists is currently underway, Selensky announced on Telegram after a meeting with the Ukrainian chief negotiator Rustem Umjerov. Russia had already mentioned the figure of 1,200 during the direct negotiations with Ukraine on July 23 in Istanbul, but Kiev had not confirmed the specific number on that day.
Selenskyj said that not only soldiers but also civilians were to be exchanged. There are also preparations for a new meeting with the Russian side. He did not give a date.
Around 6,000 Ukrainian prisoners returned so far
At the end of July, Selenskyj announced that a total of 5,857 people had returned to Ukraine from captivity since the start of the Russian war of aggression more than three years ago. In addition, another 555 people had been freed, he announced at X. The warring parties last released prisoners in July, thus completing a staged exchange of 1,200 prisoners each, which had already been agreed in Istanbul in June.
The total number of prisoners of war on both sides is not known and is constantly changing due to new developments. There have been repeated exchanges.
An unconditional and comprehensive ceasefire demanded by Ukraine at the Istanbul talks is not yet in sight. Russia has set preconditions for this, such as the cessation of Western arms deliveries to Ukraine. So far, Moscow has only offered short ceasefires at the talks so that both sides can collect their dead and wounded from the frontline areas.
03.08.2025, 14:34
