Ukraine and Russia have completed the ninth stage of prisoner exchanges under agreements reached during the second round of negotiations in Istanbul on 2 June, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on social media.
According to Zelenskyy, the exchange conducted on 23 July brought home seriously ill and seriously injured defenders.
"We can already talk about the details – through all stages of the latest Istanbul agreements, we managed to return more than 1,000 of our people. For a thousand families, this is the joy of embracing their loved ones again," Zelenskyy said.
The returned soldiers defended Ukraine on various front directions, according to the president. A significant number reportedly were in captivity for more than three years.
"All will receive the necessary support and medical care. It is important that exchanges continue and our people are returning home," Zelenskyy said.
The prisoner exchange program stems from agreements made on 2 June in Istanbul, where Ukrainian and Russian representatives agreed to exchanges in a format of 1,000 for 1,000, plus an additional 200 for 200 military prisoners. The sides also agreed on repatriation of 6,000 bodies of fallen soldiers from each side.
The first stage of exchanges under the Istanbul agreements began on 9 June, when Ukraine returned military personnel under 25 years old. Subsequent exchanges occurred on 10, 12, 14, 19, 20, and 26 June, with 4 July, marking the most recent prior exchange before today's ninth stage.
Between 11-16 June, Ukraine completed the repatriation portion of the Istanbul agreements, receiving 6,057 bodies of fallen Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel. Russia received 27 bodies during the initial June 11 repatriation, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for Treatment of Prisoners of War has not disclosed specific numbers of returned soldiers during ongoing exchange processes for security reasons, stating these figures will be announced upon completion of the exchange program.
