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Ukraine and Russia Complete Second POW Exchange This Week

Mikhail Sinitsyn / TASS

Russia and Ukraine exchanged captured soldiers on Friday, authorities said, marking the latest prisoner swap following peace talks in Istanbul earlier this month.

"A group of Russian servicemen was returned from the territory controlled by the Kyiv regime. In exchange, a group of Ukrainian prisoners of war was handed over," Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Neither side disclosed how many troops were released in Friday's exchange. During talks in Istanbul, the two countries agreed to exchange more than 1,000 wounded or ill soldiers, as well as those under the age of 25.

Russia's Defense Ministry published a video showing its released soldiers chanting "Russia" while draped in national flags.

Dozens of prisoner swaps have taken place since the war began.

Russia has rejected calls for an unconditional ceasefire and continues its military advance in eastern Ukraine. Moscow is demanding Kyiv relinquish more territory and abandon its reliance on Western military support as preconditions for any truce.

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