On May 21, 2025, the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict in the "1000 for 1000" format is planned on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. The agreement was the first significant result of direct consultations held on May 16 under the mediation of Turkey, where the Russian side was represented by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, and the Ukrainian side by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. The exchange is expected to take place with the participation of Belarus, which has previously served as a platform for such operations.

According to RBC-Ukraine, preparations for the exchange began immediately after the Istanbul negotiations. Kyiv has already begun processing the lists of prisoners of war who will be returned home.

"We know the date and work on the lists began immediately," — he noted, emphasizing the experience of cooperation with Russia on humanitarian issues.

Medinsky, in turn, confirmed that the exchange will take place in the coming days and will be the largest in the entire conflict.

The prisoner exchange will take place at one of the checkpoints on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border, presumably in the Gomel region, where similar operations were previously conducted in March 2025. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, after the exchange, Russian servicemen will be delivered to Moscow for treatment and rehabilitation, and Ukrainian ones - to Kyiv or other regions under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.