Russia's Defense Ministry says a new prisoner swap, agreed with Ukraine on June 2, has started, with an unspecified number of POWs under the age of 25 being exchanged.
"In accordance with the Russian-Ukrainian agreements reached on June 2 in Istanbul, the first group of Russian servicemen under 25 years of age was returned from the territory controlled by the Kiev regime," the ministry said in astatementon June 9.
"In exchange, a similar number of prisoners of war of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were transferred."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who hours earlier expressed doubts about a successful outcome,confirmedthe swap was ongoing, saying it "will continue in several stages over the coming days."
"The process is quite complex, with many sensitive details, and negotiations continue virtually every day. We count on the full implementation of the humanitarian agreements reached during the meeting in Istanbul," he added.
Chart: Russia-Ukraine POW exchanges in 2025
Russian officials had accused Kyiv of stalling the exchange of prisoners of war and the repatriation of fallen soldiers. They said Russia had already provided Ukraine with a list of 640 prisoners -- prioritizing the wounded, seriously ill, and young people -- to initiate the exchange process.
Ukraine rejected the accusations it was stalling, with the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War asserting that Russia's claims did not align with reality or previously established agreements.
According to Ukrainian officials, while both sides had agreed in principle to repatriate the bodies of approximately 12,000 dead soldiers following peace talks in Istanbul, no specific date had been set for the exchange.
Ukraine's Defense Ministry accused Moscow of attempting to "rewrite" the agreements reached in Istanbul and of creating "artificial obstacles and false statements" to delay the process. The ministry warned that if Russia reneges on its promises, it raises questions about the credibility of the Russian negotiating team.
