Russia and Ukraine conducted a prisoner exchange, each releasing 84 individuals, marking the latest in a series of swaps that have seen hundreds of captives freed since the beginning of the year.
This exchange occurred just before a scheduled summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Alaska.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that those released included both military personnel and civilians, with some having been detained since 2014, 2016, and 2017. He specifically mentioned the “defenders of Mariupol,” referring to the southeastern port city that was taken by Russian forces in 2022 after a lengthy siege.
“I’m back in my homeland. Honestly, I never thought this would happen,” expressed 29-year-old Ukrainian marine Mykyta Kaliberda following his release. Families gathered at the site of the exchange, with some sharing stories of years spent waiting and making repeated trips in hopes of reuniting with their loved ones. “My eldest son was in captivity for three years, four months, and two days. Thank God, we awaited him,” said Tetiana Turkoman, whose son fought in Mariupol.
According to Russia’s defense ministry, the exchange was facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, and the returned Russian personnel are currently receiving medical and psychological support. Footage released by Moscow depicted freed Russian prisoners wrapped in national flags while aboard a bus in Belarus.
Prisoner exchanges have emerged as one of the few reliable results of negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. Significant exchanges followed three rounds of peace talks held in Istanbul from May to July, with last month’s discussions leading to an agreement to swap 1,200 prisoners of war from each side.
A Russian negotiator also mentioned that Moscow had proposed returning the remains of 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers who lost their lives in the conflict.
