Russia and Ukraine each released 390 prisoners on Friday, marking the start of what is expected to be the most extensive prisoner exchange since the conflict began. Both countries announced plans to release additional detainees over the weekend as part of a broader agreement to eventually swap 1,000 prisoners each.
This development follows two hours of direct negotiations held last week in Istanbul—the first face-to-face talks between representatives of the two nations in over three years. The Russian defense ministry stated that Friday’s exchange included 270 military personnel and 120 civilians from each side. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the figures and said more releases would follow over the next two days.
In northern Ukraine’s Chernihiv region, journalists were told to gather at a designated site where some of the freed prisoners were expected to arrive.
Commenting on the exchange, former U.S. President Donald Trump posted on social media congratulating both sides and suggesting the deal could signal the beginning of broader progress.
The war has taken a devastating toll, with hundreds of thousands of casualties reported among troops from both sides, though neither government releases official numbers. Civilian losses have also been severe, particularly in Ukraine, where cities have faced sustained attacks.
Russia noted that some of the released civilians were captured during a Ukrainian cross-border raid into Russia’s Kursk region last year. The freed Russian nationals were taken to Belarus for medical and psychological treatment before being sent on to Russia.
Calls for a Ceasefire
Ukraine has expressed willingness to begin a 30-day ceasefire immediately. However, Russia, which launched the full-scale invasion in 2022 and currently occupies around 20% of Ukrainian territory, insists on preconditions before halting its military operations. Ukrainian officials have described these demands—which include giving up more land, disarming, and staying out of Western military alliances—as unacceptable.
Trump, who has recently shifted toward a more conciliatory stance on Moscow, previously suggested harsher sanctions could be imposed if peace efforts were obstructed. However, after a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week, he has opted not to pursue additional actions for now.
Russian officials say they are open to continuing dialogue during active combat and want to address what they refer to as the underlying causes of the war. Ukraine maintains that meeting Russia’s conditions would amount to capitulation and would leave the country vulnerable to future aggression.
On the battlefield, hostilities have not eased. Russia claimed to have taken control of Rakivka, a village in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region. Meanwhile, in the south, Ukrainian officials reported that Russian missile strikes on Odesa’s port infrastructure killed one person and injured eight others on Friday.
