"On June 19, in accordance with the Russian-Ukrainian agreements reached on June 2 of this year in Istanbul, a group of Russian military personnel was returned from the territory controlled by the Kiev regime. In return, a group of prisoners of war of the armed forces of Ukraine was transferred back," the statement said.
Russian soldiers are currently on the territory of Belarus, where they are receiving the necessary psychological and medical assistance, the ministry said.
"All Russian military personnel will be transported to Russia for treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions of the Russian Ministry of Defense," the ministry added.
Meanwhile, exchanges of the wounded are continuing between Russia and Ukraine within the framework of the Istanbul agreements, a source told Sputnik on Thursday.
"Today, in accordance with the Istanbul agreements, a parity prisoner exchange took place. Exchanges of wounded are also continuing," the source said.