Ukrainian forces captured 971 Russian soldiers during a months-long offensive in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said on May 25, describing the campaign as key to conducting prisoner exchanges.
The announcement came a day after Ukraine brought home 303 prisoners of war in the final phase of a 1,000-for-1,000 exchange with Russia. The swap was agreed during peace talks held in Turkey on May 16, the first direct negotiations between the two countries in three years.
According to the General Staff, the 971 Russian troops were taken captive between Aug. 6, 2024, and May 25, 2025, as part of Ukraine's ongoing offensive in Kursk Oblast. The military described the campaign as an "unexpected and asymmetric" move that helped fill the so-called "exchange fund" — Ukrainian terminology for captured Russian soldiers who can be traded for Ukrainian POWs.
Critics had previously questioned the strategic value of the Kursk operation, citing high costs and unclear gains.
"Only unconventional decisions can defeat a numerically superior enemy," the statement read. "The Kursk campaign has proven to be exactly that — its success recognized around the world."
The May 25 prisoner release brought home soldiers from the Armed Forces, National Guard, Border Guard Service, and Special Transport Service. Families and comrades welcomed the returnees, including 70 troops who had defended Mariupol during the 2022 siege of the port city.
President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the negotiation team on social media, saying, "We will bring back every single one of our people from Russian captivity."
The recent exchange was carried out in three phases over three days and remains the only tangible outcome of the Turkish-hosted talks. While Kyiv continues to advocate for an "all-for-all" prisoner swap, Moscow has so far rejected the proposal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly recently visited Kursk Oblast, which was Putin's first known visit to the region since Moscow declared on April 26 that it had completed a military operation to liberate the territory from Ukrainian forces. The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces dismissed the claims, saying that operations by the Ukrainian military in the border region are ongoing.
Anna Fratsyvir
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