Ukraine and Russia Exchange Prisoners Through Belarus

Reform.news Editorial Team · 23 October 2026, 15:13

https://reform.news/en/ukraine-and-russia-exchange-prisoners-through-belarus-2/

Ukraine and Russia carried out another prisoner exchange on October 23, using Belarusian territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 270 Ukrainians had returned home. Russia’s Defense Ministry said 270 Russian servicemen had been handed over to the Russian side.

According to the Russian ministry, the released Russian servicemen are in Belarus, where they are being assisted by Yana Lantratova, Russia’s human rights commissioner. After receiving psychological and medical care, they will be transported to Russia for treatment and rehabilitation.

Zelenskyy said those returning to Ukraine included servicemen from various units of the Defense Forces and nine civilians.

Most of those released had been held captive since 2022.

They include defenders of Mariupol, members of the National Guard’s Azov Corps, border guards, territorial defense fighters, and personnel from the Ukrainian Navy, Ground Forces, Air Assault Forces and State Special Transport Service. According to the Ukrainian president, five people who had been considered killed in the July 2022 explosion in Olenivka were also returned. Many of those released had been unlawfully convicted in Russia, Zelenskyy said.

Reform.news previously reported on preparations for the exchange in Homiel. In the morning, Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament’s human rights commissioner, and Russian ombudsman Yana Lantratova met at the Novaya Huta checkpoint on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.