Russia and Ukraine Exchange Hundreds in Largest Prisoner Swap of Conflict
In a significant step towards easing tensions, Russia and Ukraine have completed their largest prisoner exchange since the conflict began in 2022. On Sunday, both nations exchanged 303 prisoners each, following an agreement reached during recent talks in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced that 303 Russian servicemen have “returned from Kyiv-controlled territory.” Meanwhile, Ukraine has welcomed back an equal number of its personnel. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the freed individuals include members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, and the State Special Transport Service.
The Russian servicemen have arrived in the Republic of Belarus, where they are receiving necessary medical and psychological assistance, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
This exchange is part of a larger agreement made on May 16 in Istanbul, where both sides agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners each. It marks the most substantial prisoner swap since the conflict’s inception and signals a potential thaw in relations.
The weekend saw a series of exchanges: on Friday, 270 soldiers and 120 civilians were swapped, followed by a 307-for-307 exchange of military personnel on Saturday. According to Ukraine’s Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, this three-day exchange was the 65th since the conflict started and the sixth this year.
These developments offer a glimmer of hope for future negotiations and a possible path towards peace. For many families affected by the conflict, the return of their loved ones brings relief amid ongoing uncertainty.
