What to know about new '103 for 103' POW exchange between Russia, Ukraine

TASS · 🇺🇦 public Ukraine · Aug 19, 2026 · 457 words

Ukrainian selectivity in prisoner exchanges Humanitarian efforts of the Russian state

headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing

Generate a natural audio summary of this story

Daily briefing

What to know about Ukrainian selectivity in prisoner exchanges

The Russian Defense Ministry announced a prisoner exchange on August 19, in which 103 Russian servicemen were returned in exchange for 103 Ukrainian prisoners of war. The article details the role of the UAE as a mediator and provides a history of previous exchange efforts and lists provided by the Russian ombudsman.

Propaganda risk 30%

Claims checked 12

Techniques found 2

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center88%

Right12%

8 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Russia has returned 103 servicemen from the Kiev-controlled territory and handed over 103 prisoners of war to Ukraine, the Defense Ministry said.

Why it matters

TASS has compiled the main details about the exchange.

Common ground

Prisoner exchange - On August 19, Russia returned 103 military personnel from Ukrainian captivity, the Defense Ministry said.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Appeal to Pity: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Ukrainian selectivity in prisoner exchanges story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Russia has returned 103 servicemen from the Kiev-controlled territory and handed over 103 prisoners of war to Ukraine?
How does this story connect Ukrainian selectivity in prisoner exchanges with Humanitarian efforts of the Russian state over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://tass.com/defense/2175021

analyticsAnalysis

30%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 90%

Minor concerns. Some persuasive language detected, but largely factual.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Appeal to Pity 70% confidence

Evoking sympathy to win support rather than using logical arguments.

Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to pity helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 12 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 5

verified Verified 3

schedule Pending 2

info Single Source 1

verified Verified By Reference 1

check_circle

Claim 1: “Russia has returned 103 servicemen from the Kiev-controlled territory and handed over 103 prisoners of war to Ukraine”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources, including the Russian Ministry of Defense, The Intelligence Bulletin, and other web reports, confirm a 103-for-103 prisoner exchange on August 19.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The casualties in the Russo-Ukrainian war include six deaths during the 2014 annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, 14,200–14,400 military and civilian deaths during the war in Donbas, and be…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Russo-Ukrain…

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — This timeline of the Russo-Ukrainian war covers the period from 1 August to 31 December 2024.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Russo-Ukrainia…

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — This timeline of the Russo-Ukrainian war covers the period from 1 June to 31 August 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Russo-Ukrainia…

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 2: “Even before Trump’s proposal, Russia had sent Ukraine a plan for an exchange of prisoners of war, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on May 9”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 3: “On May 8, Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said that Russia had agreed to US President Donald Trump’s initiative for a truce with Ukraine from May 9 to May 11 and to conducting a prisoner exchange with Kiev during this period in the '1,000 for 1,000' format”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 4: “The Russian servicemen are currently in Belarus”

CORROBORATED

The Intelligence Bulletin and the Russian Embassy in Egypt (via TGStat) both report that the exchange took place at the Belarus border or involved personnel returning via Belarus.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — This timeline of the Russo-Ukrainian war covers the period from 1 August to 31 December 2024.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Russo-Ukrainia…

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The AK-103 is an assault rifle designed by Russian small arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is chambered in 7.62x39 and belongs to the export AK-100 (rifle family).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AK-103

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The AK-100 family is a series of Kalashnikov rifles, based upon the AK-74M, intended for export sales. The family of rifles offers the AK-74M system, in multiple cartridges and lengths.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AK-100_(rifle_family)

+ 3 more evidence sources

check_circle

Claim 5: “On August 13, Lantratova published another list of 273 Ukrainian military personnel whom Russia is ready to hand over as part of an exchange at any time”

CORROBORATED

TASS and other web results explicitly state that on August 13, Lantratova published a list of 273 Ukrainian military personnel Russia was ready to hand over.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Yana Valerievna Lantratova (Russian: Яна Валерьевна Лантратова, born 14 December 1988) is a Russian politician and human rights activist serving as Russia's Commissioner for Human Rights since 14 May …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yana_Lantratova

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — - On August 13, Lantratova published another list of 273 Ukrainian military personnel whom Russia is ready to hand over as part of an exchange at any time.
https://tass.com/defense/2175021

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — - On August 13, Lantratova published another list of 273 Ukrainian military personnel whom Russia is ready to hand over as part of an exchange at any time.
http://ecoruspace.ru/index.php?action=view&id_news=156907431

info

Claim 6: “On August 12, Lantratova published a list of 224 people whom Ukraine refuses to accept as part of the exchange”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this specific claim (August 12 list of 224) is missing from the snippets; the snippets only mention the August 13 list. No evidence was found to corroborate the August 12 claim specifically.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Yana Valerievna Lantratova is a Russian politician and human rights activist serving as Russia's Commissioner for Human Rights since 14 May 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yana_Lantratova

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — - On August 13, Lantratova published another list of 273 Ukrainian military personnel whom Russia is ready to hand over as part of an exchange at any time. Previous exchanges.
https://tass.com/defense/2175021

travel_explore

verified

Claim 7: “On June 5, Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners under a '185 for 185' formula”

VERIFIED

Cross-references from Deutsche Welle confirm a 185-for-185 prisoner exchange facilitated by the UAE.

compare_arrows

cross reference SUPPORTS — Russia and Ukraine exchanged 185 prisoners of war on Friday in a swap facilitated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-support-act-news-updates/live-…

compare_arrows

verified

Claim 8: “On May 15, 205 Russian military personnel were returned from the territory controlled by the Kiev regime. In return, 205 Ukrainian prisoners of war were handed over”

VERIFIED

A cross-reference from The Hindu confirms that 205 prisoners from each country were returned on a Friday (May 15).

compare_arrows

cross reference SUPPORTS — Russia and Ukraine have continued to occasionally swap prisoners of war, and 205 from each country returned home Friday.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/death-toll-in-at…

verified

Claim 9: “31 wounded servicemen were returned”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While the 103-person exchange is confirmed, the specific detail that 31 of them were wounded is not mentioned in the provided evidence snippets. The provided TASS result discusses wounded soldiers generally, not this specific group.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — This timeline of the Russo-Ukrainian war covers the period from 1 August to 31 December 2024.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Russo-Ukrainia…

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — This timeline of the Russo-Ukrainian war covers the period from 1 June to 31 August 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Russo-Ukrainia…

menu_book

+ 3 more evidence sources

check_circle

Claim 10: “On June 26, Russia returned 160 Russian military personnel from Ukrainian captivity; in return, 160 Ukrainian military personnel were handed over to Ukraine”

CORROBORATED

Meduza and Xinhua independently report a 160-for-160 prisoner exchange on June 26, 2026.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — June 26, 2026, 4:13 pm. Source: Russian Ministry of Defense. Russia’s Defense Ministry announced a POW exchange with Ukraine in which each side transferred 160 people to the other.
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/06/26/russia-and-ukraine-exch…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — MOSCOW/KIEV, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Russia and Ukraine each exchanged 160 prisoners of war on Friday in the latest swap between the two sides, Russian and Ukrainian authorities said.
https://english.news.cn/20260626/a8a95763eabc484a90cdf26ace8…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — MOSCOW/KIEV, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Russia and Ukraine each exchanged 160 prisoners of war on Friday in the latest swap between the two sides, Russian and Ukrainian authorities said.
http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2026-06/26/conten…

verified

Claim 11: “Russian ombudsman Yana Lantratova is assisting them”

VERIFIED

Web search results confirm Yana Lantratova is the Russian Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) and reports from News.by show her thanking Belarus for assistance in organizing prisoner exchanges.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova stated that Russia is grateful to Belarus for its assistance in organizing prisoner exchanges, humanitarian actions, and negotiations with the Ukraini…
https://news.by/eng/news/obshchestvo/yana-lantratova-thank-b…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, met with the new Russian Ombudsman, Yana Lantratova. He announced this on social media, UNN reports. Details. According to Lubinets, …
https://unn.ua/en/news/lubinets-met-with-the-new-russian-omb…

travel_explore

check_circle

Claim 12: “The United Arab Emirates provided humanitarian mediation”

CORROBORATED

The UAE's role as a mediator for the August 19 exchange is confirmed by the UAE Foreign Ministry (via TikTok report) and The Intelligence Bulletin.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The president of the United Arab Emirates (Arabic: رئيس دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة), or the Raʾīs (رَئِيْس), is the head of state of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The president and vice president…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_Arab_E…

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United Arab Emirates consists of seven emirates (Arabic: إمارات ʾimārāt; singular: إمارة ʾimārah), which were historically known as the Trucial States. Each emirate maintains its own sovereignty …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emirates_of_the_United_Arab_Em…

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Expatriates in the United Arab Emirates represent about 89% of the population, while Emiratis constitute roughly 11% of the total population, making the UAE home to the world's highest percentage of e…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expatriates_in_the_United_Arab…

+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.