Kyyiv/Moscow: Ukraine and Russia carried out a significant prisoner exchange this weekend, releasing hundreds of captives in what has become the largest swap between the two nations since the war began in 2022.
On Saturday, each side freed 307 prisoners, following the release of 390 individuals the previous day. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the returnees included members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the State Border Service. Many had been held since early in the war, particularly in the Donetsk region, while others were detained in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Luhansk.
In total, 697 Ukrainian detainees have been brought home over the two-day operation. A third phase of the swap is anticipated on Sunday, potentially bringing the total to 1,000 prisoners exchanged by each side, in line with a recent agreement reached during negotiations in Istanbul. The move represents a rare instance of cooperation between Kyiv and Moscow, despite ongoing failed efforts to reach a ceasefire.
However, the exchange has not led to a de-escalation on the battlefield. Russian and Ukrainian forces launched a substantial drone and missile assault on each others, bringing casualties to civilians and causing damage to homes and commercial infrastructure.
