Archive · 20 Aug 2026
Russia and Ukraine Exchange 103 Captured Soldiers Each
Russia and Ukraine are fighting a war but sometimes exchange captured soldiers.
On Wednesday, each country returned 103 soldiers to the other.
Ukraine said some of its soldiers had defended Mariupol.
Russia said its soldiers were taken to Belarus first.
They will receive medical and psychological care before flying to Russia.
The United Arab Emirates helped arrange the exchange.
The two sides are still not making much progress in talks to end the war.
Ukraine said it is continuing efforts to bring home people who remain captive.
Russia and Ukraine each returned 103 captured soldiers in the latest prisoner exchange.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said those released included defenders of Mariupol.
The freed Ukrainian troops were captured across seven frontline regions, according to Zelensky.
Russia said its released soldiers were taken to Belarus for medical and psychological care before returning home.
The United Arab Emirates mediated the exchange, one of several areas of cooperation between the two countries.
- Who
- Russia and Ukraine exchanged 103 captured soldiers each, with the United Arab Emirates mediating.
- What
- The countries conducted a prisoner exchange involving 206 soldiers in total.
- When
- Wednesday; the article does not provide a specific date.
- Where
- The Russian soldiers were taken to Belarus, while the Ukrainian soldiers returned to Ukraine.
- Why
- The exchange was conducted to return captured soldiers; broader talks to end the conflict remain frozen.
- Exchange size
- 103 Russian soldiers and 103 Ukrainian soldiers were exchanged.
- Mediator
- The United Arab Emirates mediated the exchange.
- Ukrainian releases
- Those released included defenders of Mariupol and troops captured across seven frontline regions.
- Russian releases
- The released Russian soldiers were taken to Belarus for medical and psychological care.
- Future repatriation
- The Russian soldiers will be flown to Russia for rehabilitation.
- Other cooperation
- Prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of soldiers' remains have been among the few areas of cooperation since February 2022.
- Unresolved captivity
- Volodymyr Zelensky said people remain in captivity and that Ukraine is working to bring them home.