Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners, returning 270 troops each

Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war in a 270-for-270 swap. The exchange took place at Belarusian checkpoint Novaya Guta the day after the bodies of 277 fallen servicemen were transferred.

Russia and Ukraine carried out another exchange of prisoners of war on October 23, returning 270 servicemen to each other. “On October 23, 270 Russian servicemen were returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv authorities,” Russia’s Ministry of Defense said. In exchange, Ukraine received 270 prisoners of war.

Belarusian state media reported that the exchange took place at the Novaya Guta checkpoint on the Belarus-Ukraine border. The released Russian servicemen are receiving psychological and medical assistance in Belarus before being taken to Russia for further treatment. The servicemen were accompanied by Russia’s commissioner for human rights, Yana Lantratova.

Second repatriation in two days

The exchange was the second consecutive repatriation in two days: on October 22, the sides transferred the bodies of 277 fallen servicemen to each other at the same checkpoint. Lantratova said that, with the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, 12 families were also reunited: seven civilians returned to Russia and seven went to Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that most of the returned Ukrainian servicemen had been held captive since 2022.