Zelenskyy announces new prisoner exchange next week
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- Mariia Khamitsevych
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8:12, 15 June, 2025
Return of Ukrainian soldiers from Russian captivity. Photo: Volodymyr ZelenskyyPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that Ukraine plans to conduct another prisoner exchange with Russia next week.
He said this in his evening address.
According to him, there is currently an agreement, and Ukraine hopes that Russia will fulfil its humanitarian obligations. Zelenskyy also stressed that he had already set specific tasks for Defence Minister Rustem Umerov to continue working on the exchanges.
The President also mentioned the exchange that took place on Saturday, the fourth in a week. Among those released are defenders of Mariupol and «Azovstal». All of the released prisoners are receiving the necessary medical care, as many of them have severe injuries and the consequences of ill-treatment in captivity.
On 10 June, Ukraine and Russia continued the prisoner exchange agreed upon during the second round of talks in Istanbul. Another group of Ukrainian servicemen - seriously wounded and sick — were returned home.
The first stage of the new prisoner exchange took place on 9 June. Ukrainian defenders under the age of 25 were returned, including wounded and seriously injured.
Ukraine also returned the bodies of 1,212 fallen soldiers.