Ukrainian POWs react following a prisoner swap at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, 05 February 2026. Photo: EPA/STRINGER
Russia and Ukraine have exchanged 157 prisoners of war each, state-owned news agency TASS reported on Thursday, citing Russia’s Defence Ministry.
Three civilians from the area of Russia’s Kursk region that was occupied by Ukrainian forces for seven months in 2024–5 were also returned to Russia, TASS added. While the civilians were sent directly to Russia, the Russian servicemen were sent to Belarus, where they are to receive medical and psychological care.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed the completion of the exchange on Thursday, saying that most of the Ukrainians returning home had been in Russian captivity since 2022.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced earlier in the day that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to exchange 314 prisoners of war in total, adding that both sides had settled on the first such exchange in four months at trilateral talks with the United States in Abu Dhabi.
“While significant work remains, steps like this demonstrate that sustained diplomatic engagement is delivering tangible results and advancing efforts to end the war in Ukraine,” Witkoff wrote on X. “Discussions will continue, with additional progress anticipated in the coming weeks.”
As the second round of negotiations in Abu Dhabi came to an end on Thursday afternoon, Kyrylo Budanov, Zelensky’s recently appointed chief of staff, described the talks as “really constructive”, and said he was “grateful to the United States and the UAE for the high-quality organisation and mediation,” according to news outlet RBC-Ukraine.
