The Russian Ministry of Defense reported the return of 146 Russian soldiers and the transfer of 146 Ukrainian prisoners.
Additionally, as part of the exchange, eight residents of the Kursk region returned to Russia from Ukrainian territory. The UAE acted as a mediator in the exchange.
Later, the exchange was confirmed by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, noting that most of the returned soldiers had been in captivity since 2022. He also added that journalist Dmitry Khilyuk, who was kidnapped in the Kyiv region in March 2022, was successfully returned to Ukraine.
The Kherson publication MOST, citing a source in the Office of the President of Ukraine, wrote that former mayor of Kherson Vladimir Nikolaenko, who was kidnapped in April 2022, was also released from Russian captivity.
Initially, he was held in Kherson, then he was taken to Crimea or Russia. Until the end of November 2022, nothing was known about his fate.
Subsequently, representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed that he was in Russian captivity.
In May 2025, information emerged that the former mayor of Kherson refused an exchange in favor of a seriously ill prisoner. This happened back in 2022. After the refusal, the Russian side no longer included him in the exchange lists.
The last major exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine took place on August 14 — at that time, 84 soldiers from each side returned to their countries.
Photo: TG Volodymyr Zelensky