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Ukraine returns 160 soldiers, reports new Russian attacks and losses

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Posted Jun 26, 2026, 03:00 PM UTC · In the digest of 2026-06-26-1500
Ukraine returns 160 soldiers, reports new Russian attacks and losses

Ukraine announced the return of 160 military personnel from Russian captivity, including 115 Mariupol defenders. Separately, Russia launched 7 missiles and 189 drones, with 177 intercepted by Ukrainian air defenses.

Ukraine has secured the return of 160 military personnel from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced. All freed soldiers had been held since 2022, with 115 defenders of Mariupol among them. The ages of those released ranged from 26 to 66. Russia's Ministry of Defense also confirmed the exchange, which marks the 76th such 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 from Bryansk and Kursk. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 177 targets, though four missiles and eleven drones impacted 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