Ukraine and Russia have exchanged 200 prisoners of war each, with Kyiv freeing defenders captured during the Mariupol siege. President Zelenskiy thanks the US and mediators as families reunite.
Kyiv/Moscow – Ukraine and Russia conducted a significant prisoner of war exchange on Thursday, each releasing 200 captured personnel, officials on both sides confirmed, marking the latest humanitarian breakthrough amid a deadlock in negotiations to end the four-year conflict.
The swap, which unfolded at an undisclosed location, saw emotional scenes as released Ukrainian prisoners, many draped in national flags, emerged from buses to chants of “Welcome!” from tearful relatives.
Mariupol Defenders Returned
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that some of the freed Ukrainians were captured as far back as the early months of the war, during Moscow’s devastating siege of Mariupol in 2022.
“Every time our people come home, it proves that Ukraine is working to bring everyone back. No one is forgotten,” Zelenskiy wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
He specifically acknowledged the diplomatic efforts behind the exchange: “We involve mediators. I am grateful to everyone who helps Ukraine. I thank the United States for its support in making this exchange possible.”
Regular Swaps Amid Stalled Talks
Kyiv and Moscow have carried out regular POW exchanges throughout the four-year war, even as broader negotiations remain gridlocked. Recent talks in Geneva produced a commitment to a new round of swaps, but discussions over the core issue of territory remain deadlocked.
More Prisoners to Come
Officials on both sides indicated that Thursday’s exchange would be followed by a second day of releases on Friday, with an additional 300 POWs each expected to be returned.
The exchanges represent one of the few remaining channels of communication and cooperation between the warring parties, offering a glimmer of humanity amid the ongoing devastation.
