Ukraine and Russia executed a prisoner exchange involving 215 Ukrainian defenders returned for Viktor Medvedchuk and 55 Russian prisoners, facilitated by agreements with Turkey.
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Ukraine freed 215 defenders in a swap where Viktor Medvedchuk and 55 Russian prisoners were returned to Russia.
The exchange resulted from personal agreements between President Zelenskyy and President Erdoğan of Turkey.
The exchange of 215 prisoners of war, including Azovstal defenders, happened on Sept. 21 and was prepared for two months.
President Vladimir Putin insisted on the prisoner exchange despite opposition from the FSB, prioritizing the return of Viktor Medvedchuk over 215 Ukrainian prisoners.
The FSB was against the exchange because they anticipated negative public reaction in Russia to trading a politician for combat soldiers.
Roman Abramovich acted as an intermediary between Moscow and Kyiv, coordinating with Alexander Bortnikov and Andrii Yermak.
Viktor Medvedchuk was exchanged for 200 Ukrainian defenders.
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Extraction metadata
Extracted: 2026-07-18T17:01:47.702Z
Source story: 7368539