Russia and Ukraine conducted a new prisoner exchange involving younger detainees, according to a statement by Russia’s Defense Ministry on Monday, June 9, 2025. The ministry reported that a group of Russian soldiers who were held by Ukraine has returned home following the swap.
While Russia did not specify the number of prisoners involved, it emphasized that the soldiers were in the “younger age group.” The exchange was said to have been facilitated through complex negotiations with the involvement of the United Arab Emirates as a mediator.
Ukrainian authorities have yet to publicly confirm the details of the exchange. However, such prisoner swaps have been a rare but ongoing feature of the war, reflecting both humanitarian concerns and diplomatic backchannels that remain open despite the intensifying conflict.
Russia’s statement noted that the returned soldiers were being offered medical and psychological care upon their arrival. The exchange is seen as a rare gesture of cooperation in an otherwise brutal and prolonged war, now entering its third year.
