Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners of conflict as delegations of the two countries held their third round of direct talks in the city of Istanbul, Turkey. The Russian Defence Ministry said the swap was conducted by the agreements both sides reached during their second talks on June 2 in Istanbul. The Russian servicemen are in Belarus and will be transported to Russia for treatment and rehabilitation in military medical institutions.

Russia and Ukraine held two rounds of direct talks on May 16 and June 2 in Istanbul. During the second round, they agreed on an “all-for-all” exchange of seriously ill and wounded prisoners, and soldiers under the age of 25, as well as the transfer of the bodies of fallen soldiers. More than 1,000 Ukrainian servicemen have returned home under the Istanbul agreements.