politics
February 6, 2026
Freed Russians return from Ukraine after prisoner exchange (VIDEOS)
Russia has received dozens of troops and three civilians as part of a US-facilitated prisoner exchange with Ukraine
TL;DR
- 157 Russian soldiers and three civilians arrived in Belarus following a prisoner exchange.
- The group will travel to Russia for medical treatment and to reunite with families.
- The three civilians were captured in Ukraine's Kursk Region in 2024.
- Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova met with the civilians upon their arrival.
- Ten other Russian civilians from the Kursk Region remain in Ukrainian custody, with negotiations for their return underway.
- The prisoner exchange was announced by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and confirmed by Moscow, having been finalized during talks in Abu Dhabi.