On Thursday, both Russia and Ukraine announced that they successfully conducted another exchange of captured military personnel, part of a prisoner swap deal established during peace negotiations earlier this month in Istanbul.

Neither party revealed the exact number of soldiers released in this latest exchange, which is part of a series of swaps following the discussions on June 2, where both sides committed to freeing 1,000 prisoners of war each.

“Our individuals are coming back home from detention in Russia,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on social media.

According to Ukraine’s government agency responsible for the exchanges, the swap included “seriously ill and wounded” soldiers.

Most of the returning Ukrainians had been taken captive during the initial months of Russia’s invasion in 2022 and were reported to be suffering from severe health issues, such as dystrophy, ulcers, vision impairments, musculoskeletal problems, and cardiovascular conditions.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the exchange, sharing images of soldiers wrapped in Russian flags, celebrating and cheering.

Zelensky also posted similar photos of the returned Ukrainian soldiers, depicting them in tears of joy, smiling, and reaching out to their families.