Russia and Ukraine swap 160 soldiers each in latest prisoner exchange

Published on 26/06/2026 - 16:19 GMT+2

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged 160 captured soldiers each, both governments confirmed on Friday, in the latest prisoner swap since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion more than four years ago.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the handover on social media. "We continue bringing Ukrainians home from Russian captivity. Today, 160 service members were released," he wrote, adding that "all of them had been held captive since 2022." He posted photographs of the returning men draped in blue-and-yellow flags, smiling and embracing one another.

Russia's defence ministry confirmed the figures from the other side, saying "160 Russian servicemen have been returned" with "160 Ukrainian prisoners of war handed over in exchange." It added that the freed Russian soldiers had been taken to Belarus, where they were receiving care.

Abu Dhabi has played a consistent role in facilitating swaps throughout the conflict, most recently brokering a 205-person exchange in May as part of a broader 1,000-for-1,000 deal tied to a short-lived US-brokered ceasefire, and a 314-person swap in February following talks in Abu Dhabi.

Prisoner swaps have been one of the only areas of practical cooperation between Kyiv and Moscow since the invasion began in February 2022, even as fighting has intensified elsewhere. Ukraine has made the return of its captured fighters a central demand throughout the war.

Friday's exchange comes as Kyiv has escalated its long-range strike campaign against Russian territory, with President Zelensky this week announcing a 40-day pressure operation targeting Russian logistics and military infrastructure, including repeated drone strikes on Moscow and occupied Crimea. Peace negotiations brokered by Washington have so far stalled, with no formal agreement in sight.