Russia and Ukraine Exchange 146 Prisoners Each in Latest Swap

Moscow, August 24, 2025 – Russia and Ukraine conducted a prisoner exchange on Sunday, with each side releasing 146 prisoners of war (POWs), according to the Russian Ministry of Defence. The swap, mediated by the United Arab Emirates, is part of a series of exchanges that have freed hundreds of POWs this year.

The Russian Ministry stated that 146 Russian servicemen were returned from Ukrainian-controlled territory and are now in Belarus, receiving medical and psychological care. In exchange, 146 Ukrainian Armed Forces prisoners were transferred to Ukraine. Additionally, eight Russian citizens from the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, were released after being "illegally detained" by Kyiv. This exchange follows three rounds of talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul from May to July, with prisoner swaps remaining one of the few areas of cooperation between the two nations since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. **Drone Attack on Kursk Nuclear Plant** In a separate development, Russia accused Ukraine of launching an overnight drone attack on the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, located 60km (38 miles) from the border. The attack reportedly caused a fire and damaged an auxiliary transformer, forcing a 50 percent reduction in the operating capacity of reactor number three. Russian officials also reported strikes on several power and energy facilities in the region. **US Revokes Permission for Strikes** Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Sunday that the United States has withdrawn permission for Ukraine to use US-manufactured weapons for strikes inside Russia. Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine has recently relied on its own weapons for such operations, without consulting Washington. **Diplomatic Tensions and Independence Day** The prisoner exchange and drone attack coincided with Ukraine’s Independence Day, marking its 1991 declaration of independence from the Soviet Union. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized Zelenskyy for "obstinately insisting" on a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict. US President Donald Trump, who met with Putin in Alaska last week, said on Friday that he expects to know within two weeks whether progress is possible in ending the war. Trump also raised the possibility of imposing sanctions on Moscow. The prisoner exchange and recent developments highlight the ongoing complexity of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with limited cooperation overshadowed by escalating military and diplomatic tensions.