Overview
- Between June 9 and 10, each side freed more than 1,200 prisoners of war, including wounded soldiers and those under 25, under an “all-for-all” agreement reached in Istanbul
- On June 11, Russia handed over the remains of 1,212 Ukrainian soldiers who fell across multiple battlefronts
- Released captives described widespread mistreatment in Russian custody, reporting torture methods such as branding prisoners with “Glory to Russia”
- The International Committee of the Red Cross played a central role in facilitating both prisoner transfers and the repatriation of bodies
- Both governments say further POW exchanges are scheduled even as ceasefire talks stall and clashes continue