Russia announces new prisoner of war exchange with Ukraine: 103 from each side

Russia's Ministry of Defense announced on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, that a new prisoner of war exchange had taken place with Ukraine. A total of 103 Russian military personnel returned from territory controlled by Kyiv, while 103 Ukrainian prisoners of war were handed over in return.

The Russian soldiers were reportedly in Belarus, where they received necessary psychological and medical assistance. Yana Landrátova, Russia's new ombudswoman, attended to the exchanged servicemen. The Russian defense command stated that the exchange was made possible through the humanitarian mediation of the United Arab Emirates, which has previously facilitated similar exchanges.

This latest swap comes after a significant exchange on June 26, which involved 160 prisoners from each side. Additionally, on August 13, both nations conducted an exchange of detained civilians, eight Russians and seven Ukrainians, along with a swap of fallen soldiers' bodies, comprising 261 Ukrainians and 24 Russians.

The ongoing exchanges highlight a persistent, albeit often difficult, effort to resolve the status of captured personnel amidst the conflict.