Ukraine and Russia exchange 103 prisoners each on August 19, with Ukraine saying 103 Ukrainian soldiers are returned from Russian captivity. The released people include members of the Armed Forces, the Border Guard Service and the National Guard, according to the Ukrainian outlet’s description, and many are reported to have fought in Mariupol and across multiple regions.
The two sides have carried out regular prisoner-of-war exchanges throughout the full-scale war that began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Multiple sources describe the swap as part of that ongoing process, with Ukrainian intelligence cited in one report indicating that another exchange is expected before the end of the month. While the outlets align on the figures and the occurrence of the swap, they differ in emphasis: one focuses on who among the released are and where they fought, while the other underscores the broader pattern of exchanges and the prospect of a further swap soon.
