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| Credit: Reuters |
On Friday, May 23, 2025, Ukraine and Russia completed the largest prisoner exchange since the full-scale war began in February 2022, with each side releasing 390 prisoners of war and civilians. This milestone swap follows an agreement reached during direct talks between the two countries in Istanbul last week.
The exchange took place at the Ukrainian border with Belarus, where both nations handed over 270 military personnel and 120 civilians each. Among those released were servicemen who had fought in key conflict zones such as Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kherson. Notably, three of the released prisoners were women.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the event on social media, stating, “We are bringing our people home,” and emphasized the importance of fully implementing the agreement. He shared images of the freed Ukrainians, many wrapped in the national flag, marking a poignant moment for the country.
The prisoner swap is part of a broader deal involving the exchange of 1,000 individuals from each side, with further releases expected over the coming days. This agreement was the sole outcome of the rare direct negotiations held in Istanbul, which also included discussions on a possible ceasefire and a future presidential summit.
Russian officials confirmed that some of the exchanged individuals had been captured during recent Ukrainian offensives near the Kursk border. These prisoners were temporarily on Belarusian soil before being transported to Russia for medical evaluation and care.
The swap represents a significant step in confidence-building between the two nations amid ongoing hostilities. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who chaired the Istanbul talks, expressed hope that these developments would lay the groundwork for future peace negotiations.
While the prisoner exchange does not signal an immediate end to the conflict, it is seen as a positive move toward dialogue and de-escalation after years of war.
This prisoner swap marks the largest since the war’s onset, with 780 individuals exchanged so far and more expected in the coming days as part of the Istanbul agreement.
