Freed Russians return from Ukraine after prisoner exchange (VIDEOS)
Russian soldiers and civilians released from Ukrainian custody as part of a prisoner exchange arrived in Belarus on Thursday.
From there, the 157 troops and three civilians will travel onward to Russia for medical treatment and long-awaited reunions with their families.
Video footage from the arrival showed some of the soldiers contacting their families by phone.
The three civilians had been captured during Ukrainian military operations in Russia’s Kursk Region in 2024. Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova met with them upon their arrival.
One of the civilians is from the town of Sudzha, which was under the control of Ukrainian forces from August 2024 until March 2025. The cross-border incursion into Kursk Region by Ukrainian troops was repelled by the following April. While many individuals detained during that period have been repatriated, the Russian authorities have said some remain in custody.
Russian officials have stated they are gathering claims regarding the conduct of Ukrainian forces during their operations in Kursk Region. Moskalkova said that ten other Russian civilians from the region remain in Ukrainian custody and that negotiations for their return are ongoing.
The prisoner exchange was formally announced on Thursday by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and later confirmed by Moscow. Witkoff stated the agreement was finalized during talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, which were supported by the US.
