Russia, Ukraine exchange 185 prisoners of war each

Russian prisoners of war in a bus following an exchange of prisoners at an undisclosed location in Belarus, October 2, 2025. [AFP]

Russia and Ukraine exchanged 185 prisoners of war each on Thursday, Moscow and Kyiv said, the latest in a series of swaps that have continued despite the lack of progress towards ending the conflict.

Russia's defence ministry said on Telegram that "185 Russian servicemen have been returned" by Ukraine, adding that 20 civilians were also released as part of the swap.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the exchange, posting pictures of the released Ukrainians, wrapped in national flags, smiling and their heads looking freshly shaved.

"Alongside our defenders, civilians are also returning home –- 20 of our people. Everyone will definitely receive all the support they need," Zelensky said on social media.

"Since the start of the full-scale invasion, we have already brought over 7,000 of our people home," he added.

Large-scale prisoner exchanges were the only tangible result of three rounds of peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul between May and July.

The two sides have also conducted several rounds of repatriation of fallen soldiers, the exchanges being the only areas of cooperation between Ukraine and Russia amid the war.

Tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed on both sides since Russia launched the invasion in 2022, though neither side regularly publishes data on their own casualties.