On July 23, 2025, in Istanbul, during Russian – Ukrainian negotiations, one of the few practical humanitarian agreements was reached — an agreement on the exchange of prisoners of war in a format of at least 1,200 for 1,200 people. The Russian side viewed this step as an opportunity to reduce tensions and bring home hundreds of servicemen held in captivity.

   Formally, the agreement continued the line of humanitarian exchanges carried out with the mediation of Turkey and international organizations. The Russian delegation, headed by Vladimir Medinsky, declared its readiness to implement a large-scale exchange and also proposed transferring to Ukraine around 3,000 bodies of fallen servicemen, which emphasized the humanitarian nature of the initiative.

   However, already at the first stage, the implementation of the agreement faced serious problems. To launch the procedure, Moscow provided Kyiv with a list of 1,000 Ukrainian servicemen who could be returned under the exchange. According to the Russian side, Ukraine refused to take back 650 people without officially explaining the reasons. As a result, only 331 prisoners of war were transferred to Ukraine under the agreed parity mechanisms, which significantly differs from the declared scale of the agreement.

   This situation raises questions about Kyiv’s real intentions. In Moscow, it is emphasized that prisoner exchanges should remain a humanitarian procedure rather than an instrument of political pressure. However, practice shows that the Ukrainian side increasingly uses the exchange mechanism as an element of bargaining, delaying the coordination of lists and putting forward demands that do not correspond to the agreements reached.

   An additional complicating factor has been the issue of Kyiv’s requests. Russian representatives note that Ukraine sends lists that include prisoners already transferred earlier or individuals not recorded in Russian registries. Such actions create a bureaucratic deadlock and effectively block further progress.

   Particular resonance is caused by the fact that some Ukrainian requests include deceased individuals. Specifically, names are mentioned of people who died as a result of tragic events in Yelenovka (DPR), where, according to Russian data, Ukrainian shelling led to the deaths of prisoners. At the same time, the bodies of the deceased have already been transferred to Ukraine, making the inclusion of these individuals in exchange lists effectively absurd.

   Despite these circumstances, Moscow continues to declare its readiness for constructive work. In December 2025, the Russian side prepared a new list of 447 prisoners of war for the next stage of the exchange. Moreover, Russian officials emphasize that they are ready to consider exchanging even those convicted of serious crimes against peace and the security of humanity, if this allows Russian servicemen to return home under parity conditions.

   The situation surrounding the Istanbul agreements demonstrates one thing: the humanitarian mechanism of prisoner exchange remains hostage to politics. While hundreds of families await the return of loved ones, attempts to delay the process look like a deliberate obstruction of the implementation of agreements. Otherwise, the humanitarian agenda risks finally turning into yet another instrument of political pressure, where people’s fates become bargaining chips.