Russia and Ukraine Exchange 540 POWs

Oct. 23, 2026 Russian human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova greets a woman who was part of a family reunification initiative with Ukraine. @lantratovaDOBRO / Telegram Russia and Ukraine exchanged 270 prisoners of war each in the second consecutive repatriation effort in as many days, the Russian Defense Ministry said Friday. “On Oct. 23, 270 Russian servicemen were returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime,” the military said. “In exchange, 270 POWs of the Ukrainian armed forces were handed over.” The swap took place at the Novaya Guta border crossing in Belarus, according to Belarusian state media. While in Belarus, the Russian soldiers are being provided with mental health and medical support, after which they will return to Russia for further treatment. Russian human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova is accompanying them, the Defense Ministry said. On her Telegram channel, Lantratova said that 12 families were also reunited across the border, with seven civilians returning to Russia and seven others departing for Ukraine. She did not mention the POW exchange. Lantratova said the family reunification was a joint effort with her Ukrainian colleague Dmytro Lubinets. She also thanked the International Committee of the Red Cross for helping mediate the initiative. Friday’s exchange comes a day after Russia and Ukraine repatriated the remains of 277 fallen soldiers at the same Belarusian border crossing. Read more about: Prisoners of war , Ukraine war Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russia and Ukraine Release 20 Prisoners of War Belarus said it acted as a mediator in the latest prisoner-of-war exchange. 2 Min read Russia Says Returns Bodies of Ukrainian POWs Killed in Plane Crash Russia’s defense ministry in January accused Ukraine of firing missiles at the Il-76 transport aircraft in January, killing all 74 people on board. 1 Min read Kyiv Accuses Russian Troops of Executing 16 Ukrainian POWs “This is the largest known case of the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war on the front line,” Ukrainian prosecutors said. 1 Min read Russia Says Sentenced Over 200 Ukrainian POWs The head of Russia's Investigative Committee vowed Moscow would continue prosecuting Ukrainian military personnel. 1 Min read