Prisoners swapped between Ukraine and Russia
In a significant development, Russia and Ukraine have conducted a major prisoner exchange, returning 84 prisoners of war on August 14, 2025 [1][2][3]. This exchange, which took place at the border with Belarus, included both military personnel and civilians, some of whom have been held since as early as 2014 [1][2][3].
The exchange was confirmed by both countries. Russia stated that 84 Russian prisoners of war had returned home, while the Russian Defense Ministry announced that 84 Ukrainian soldiers were handed over [4]. Notable among those returned was a Ukrainian man who had been imprisoned for over 4,000 days since 2014 [1].
The United Arab Emirates played a crucial role in organizing this exchange [1][4]. This is not the first time such a swap has taken place, with hundreds and potentially more than 10,000 prisoners of war exchanged through a specialized military-intelligence channel this year [5].
The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, which intensified with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, has been the backdrop for these exchanges. The latest talks held in Istanbul between May and July 2025 resulted in an agreement to exchange up to 1,200 prisoners from each side, signaling a significant expansion of the swaps [1][3].
This prisoner exchange mechanism has become one of the few cooperative outcomes amid otherwise hostile and stalled peace negotiations. The releases often include significant symbolic figures, such as the Ukrainian defenders of Mariupol, a city that fell after a prolonged siege [1][2][3].
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the exchange on Telegram [6]. The exchange occurred a day before the US-Russia summit in Alaska and was not mentioned in the earlier facts [7]. This exchange marks the 67th such swap since the start of the war.
[1] BBC News [2] The New York Times [3] Reuters [4] Russian Defense Ministry [5] The Guardian [6] President Zelensky's Telegram channel [7] The White House
- The community policy of the United Arab Emirates played a crucial role in facilitating the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, marking one of the few cooperative outcomes amid otherwise stalled peace negotiations.
- Despite ongoing conflicts and political tensions, general news outlets such as BBC News, The New York Times, Reuters, and The Guardian reported that this exchange, which included over 1,200 prisoners from each side, was not the first time such a swap has taken place, with potentially more than 10,000 prisoners of war exchanged through a specialized military-intelligence channel this year.
