Ukraine and Russia have reached a major agreement in Istanbul to conduct the largest exchange of prisoners and bodies since the war began in February 2022, officials from both sides confirmed following peace talks hosted by Türkiye.

“We agreed on an ‘all-for-all’ exchange of seriously wounded and seriously ill prisoners of war. The second category is young soldiers aged 18 to 25,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said at a press conference on Monday.

“We also agreed on the return of 6,000-for-6,000 bodies of dead soldiers,” he added, emphasising that while the agreement focused on specific categories rather than fixed numbers, the humanitarian aspect was clear.

Umerov reiterated Kiev’s broader demands, saying: “We insist on the release of all prisoners and the return of all our captives and abducted children.”

Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation, also confirmed the agreement.

Speaking to journalists, he said: “Moscow and Kiev agreed on the largest-ever war prisoners exchange – an all-for-all format covering heavily wounded and young soldiers between the ages of 18 and 25.”

He added that Moscow would return the bodies of 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers.

Another round

The agreement was finalised during the second round of talks at Istanbul’s Ciragan Palace, where Turkish mediation efforts brought both sides together once more.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also announced that Moscow and Kiev agreed to hold another round of exchange of war prisoners.

Speaking at a news conference in Lithuania's capital Vilnius, Zelenskyy said the delegations exchanged documents through Türkiye at the meeting held in Istanbul's Ciragan Palace. "We are preparing for the release of prisoners of war," he said.

Ankara has hosted key diplomatic encounters since the early weeks of the war, including the landmark meetings in Antalya and the Dolmabahce Office of the Presidency in Istanbul.