Moscow, October 24, 2026 – The Europe Today: Two Russian Il-76MD military transport aircraft carrying servicemen released as part of a prisoner exchange with Ukraine landed in the Moscow Region, according to media reports.
The Russian Ministry of Defence earlier announced that 270 Russian servicemen had returned home on October 23 from territory controlled by Ukraine in exchange for 270 Ukrainian servicemen captured during combat operations.
The exchange involved a total of 540 servicemen from both sides, with each country releasing 270 personnel.
The arrival of the two aircraft in the Moscow Region marked the return of the Russian servicemen following the exchange.
Prisoner exchanges remain an important humanitarian aspect of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, providing opportunities for captured personnel to return to their respective countries.
