By AFP June 26, 2026 Russian soldiers released in a prisoner swap on June 26, 2026. Screen capture / Russian Defense Ministry Russia and Ukraine each released 160 prisoners of war on Friday, with Russia's Defense Ministry saying that the United Arab Emirates mediated the exchange. "We continue bringing Ukrainians home from Russian captivity. Today, 160 service members were released," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote in a post on X. He added that "all of them had been held captive since 2022" and posted pictures of the men wrapped in Ukrainian flags, smiling and embracing each other. Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed the exchange and said it had received 160 of its captive soldiers. "The returned Russian servicemen are currently in the Republic of Belarus," it said. Since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022, exchanges of prisoners and the remains of fallen soldiers have been one of the few areas of cooperation between Moscow and Kyiv. Read more about: 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 Russian Military’s Chemical Weapons Chief Killed in Moscow Blast Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov is the most senior military official to be killed in a bomb attack since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. 3 Min read Top Russian Cruise Missile Engineer Gunned Down Near Moscow – Reports Mikhail Shatsky reportedly oversaw updates to some of the types of missiles that are used to attack Ukraine. 1 Min read Germany’s Scholz Open to More Talks With Putin Despite ‘Frustration’ The call comes as talk of negotiations is heating up ahead of Donald Trump’s return to office in January. 1 Min read Orban Proposes Ukraine Prisoner Exchange, Christmas Ceasefire – Kremlin The news comes as Orban claimed Wednesday that Kyiv had rejected the proposal. 1 Min read
Russia
Number of cybercrimes in Russia down 31% since start of year
• What happened: The number of cybercrimes in Russia decreased by 31% in the first five months of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, as reported by Deput...