Russia and Ukraine have completed a large-scale prisoner exchange, each side returning 1,000 individuals over three days. The final phase concluded on Sunday, with 303 prisoners exchanged by both nations. The effort marks a rare moment of cooperation during a period marked by continued hostilities and high casualties.
The agreement was reached during face-to-face negotiations in Istanbul on May 16, the first such direct meeting in over three years. Although the talks did not lead to a ceasefire, both parties committed to carrying out the coordinated swap.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Sunday that the final group of captives had returned home. “Today, warriors of our Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, and the State Special Transport Service are returning home,” he wrote on social media. He thanked those who worked around the clock to make the transfer possible and reiterated the nation’s pledge to bring all prisoners back.
The individuals released included many who had participated in key battles, including 70 men who had taken part in the 2022 defense of Mariupol. Footage from Ukrainian sources showed servicemen stepping off buses wrapped in the national flag, some overcome with emotion as they reunited with loved ones.
In one video, a soldier broke down in tears as he embraced a family member. Others were handed cellphones so they could speak with relatives immediately. Some families, still searching for missing loved ones, gathered near return sites in hopes of finding information.
Russia’s Defense Ministry also confirmed the exchange, stating that the agreement with Ukraine had been carried out in full. Released Russian service members were seen disembarking buses and posing with the Russian national flag, as well as Soviet and Imperial banners.
The first phase of the swap took place on Friday, when 390 individuals were exchanged, including 120 civilians. On Saturday, another 307 prisoners were traded. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has expressed interest in negotiating peace, had previously mentioned the swap as a possible opening for broader diplomatic progress.
Despite the coordination, the violence has not ceased. As the final exchange was carried out, Ukraine was hit with one of the heaviest aerial attacks since the war began. According to Ukrainian officials, Russia launched 367 drones and missiles at cities across the country, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa. At least 12 people were killed and dozens injured. Ukraine’s Air Force stated it intercepted many of the incoming weapons, but damage and casualties still occurred.
President Zelenskyy responded by calling for renewed sanctions on Russia, saying the attacks targeted civilians and infrastructure in more than 30 towns and cities. “Without truly strong pressure on the Russian leadership, this brutality cannot be stopped,” he posted on Telegram.
Russia’s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, claimed it intercepted dozens of Ukrainian drones overnight, with reports of strikes near Moscow and in the border regions of Kursk and Belgorod. Russian forces also announced further advances in Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions.
Though the prisoner swap may not have altered the military calculus, it drew global attention as a potential sign of movement in a war that has devastated both nations. Since the invasion began in February 2022, tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed, though neither side discloses full casualty figures.
The Istanbul talks did not result in a formal agreement, but Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on Friday that Moscow would be prepared to present Ukraine with a draft peace proposal following the completion of the prisoner exchange.
With the completion of the swap, attention turns again to the battlefield and the uncertain prospects of diplomacy. Airstrikes, drone raids, and trench warfare continue to define the conflict across a front line that spans over 600 miles.
The recent exchange follows previous smaller swaps, but this is the largest since the war began. Coordination was carried out under intense international scrutiny, with support from Turkey and expressions of interest from Western governments, who have urged a temporary cessation of hostilities to allow for negotiations.
Whether the exchange will lead to broader efforts at de-escalation remains unclear. For now, families in both countries are welcoming loved ones home, while others wait, hoping for future transfers and information about missing persons.
As the conflict endures, the swap stands out as one of the few coordinated efforts between the two governments amid ongoing air raids and military operations. It reflects, at minimum, a shared interest in the return of citizens held in captivity — a gesture, however limited, in a war that has otherwise offered few moments of dialogue or agreement.
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