OREANDA-NEWS Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war in the 185-by-185 format on Thursday as part of the agreements reached in Istanbul, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"In accordance with the Russian-Ukrainian agreements reached in Istanbul on July 23, 185 Russian servicemen were returned from the territory controlled by the Kiev regime. In return, 185 prisoners of war of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were transferred," the ministry said in a statement.

"In addition, twenty civilians have been returned," the ministry said.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Russian military personnel and civilians are in Belarus, where they are receiving the necessary psychological and medical assistance.

"All returned Russian military personnel and civilians will be transported to the Russian Federation for treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions," the statement said.

On August 24, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that Russia and Ukraine had exchanged prisoners according to the formula 146 for 146. On August 14, the ministry announced that 84 Russian servicemen had returned from Ukrainian captivity, and the same number of prisoners of war had been transferred to the Armed Forces in return.

In June and July, Russia and Ukraine conducted eight stages of the exchange of groups of prisoners of war within the framework of the agreements reached on June 2 in Istanbul.