Russia Returns 193 Servicemen from Ukrainian Captivity in Exchange for Same Number of Ukrainian POWs
Quick Look
- Russia has returned 193 Russian servicemen from Ukrainian captivity in exchange for 193 Ukrainian prisoners-of-war, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on April 24.
- The Russian servicemen are currently in Belarus receiving psychological and medical assistance before being transported to Russia for treatment and rehabilitation.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Russia and Ukraine have been conducting periodic prisoner exchanges throughout the ongoing conflict, with the March 2026 swaps following a '500 for 500' formula pursuant to the Geneva accords. The April 24 exchange represents the continuation of these humanitarian efforts.
MOSCOW, April 24. /TASS/. Russia has returned 193 servicemen from Ukraine's captivity in exchange for the same number of Ukrainian prisoners-of-war (POWs), Russia's Defense Ministry reported on Friday. TASS has gathered key facts about the new POW swap.
Russian Defense Ministry's statement
On April 24, Russia has returned 193 Russian servicemen from the territory controlled by the Kiev regime, the ministry reported. In exchange, Russia has transferred 193 Ukrainian POWs. The Russian servicemen are currently staying on the territory of the Republic of Belarus where they are receiving necessary psychological and medical assistance. All the Russian servicemen will be brought to Russia for treatment and rehabilitation at medical institutions of the Russian Defense Ministry.
Previous POW swaps
On April 11, Russia and Ukraine exchanged 175 POWs each. During the prisoner swap, seven Russian citizens - residents of the Kursk Region illegally held in captivity by the Kiev regime returned home, the Defense Ministry reported. Before that, Russia and Ukraine held a POW swap in March. Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky said that Russia was holding a POW swap with Ukraine on March 5-6 under the '500 for 500' formula pursuant to the Geneva accords. On March 5, Russia returned 200 Russian servicemen from the Kiev-controlled territory in exchange for the same number of Ukrainian POWs. On March 6, Russia returned 300 Russian servicemen from the Kiev-controlled territory in exchange for the same number of Ukrainian POWs.
Open Questions
- What specific conditions are the returning servicemen in?
- Are there any additional POW swaps planned?
- What is the current total number of POWs held by each side?
