Nexus Europa
Live
Europe PulseEconomy & EnergyEastern FrontierDefence & IndustryPowerRussian InfluenceSocietyBalkansFuture EuropeOther
Eastern Frontier

Ukraine exchanges 160 soldiers, reports Russian attacks and losses

Nexus Europa Newsroom
Posted Jun 26, 2026, 03:30 PM UTC · In the digest of 2026-06-26-1530
Ukraine exchanges 160 soldiers, reports Russian attacks and losses

Ukraine announced the return of 160 military personnel from Russian captivity, including Mariupol defenders, while also reporting new Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and Poltava regions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the return of 160 military personnel from Russian captivity, marking the 76th such exchange. All freed soldiers had been held since 2022, with 115 defenders of Mariupol among them. Their ages ranged from 26 to 66. Russia's Ministry of Defense also confirmed the operation. Separately, Russian forces launched seven Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 189 uncrewed aerial vehicles overnight into June 26, targeting the Kyiv and Poltava regions. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 177 targets, though four missiles and eleven drones impacted various locations. Ukraine's General Staff updated figures for Russian military personnel losses to over 1.39 million since the full-scale invasion began, including 1,310 in the last day. Sources: Громадське, Радіо Свобода, Українська правда

How outlets assessed this

  • Jun 26, 2026, 02:00 PM UTC
    • Українська правда Neutral Its headline incorrectly stated freed soldiers were held for four years, contradicting its own body text.
  • Jun 26, 2026, 05:00 PM UTC
    • Українська правда Neutral Its headline incorrectly stated repatriated soldiers were held for four years, despite its body confirming since 2022.

Sources

Earlier coverage