Ukraine and Russia Exchange 800 Prisoners in Largest War Swap Yet

Russia and Ukraine have begun a major prisoner exchange exchanging hundreds of troops and citizens.

This represents the initial stage of an exchange that symbolised a period of collaboration amidst generally unsuccessful attempts at coordination. reach a ceasefire in the three-year-old war .

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the initial stage has seen 390 Ukrainians return home, encompassing both soldiers and civilians. He also mentioned that more exchanges are anticipated over the weekend, which would then mark this as the biggest prisoner swap since the start of the conflict.

The Russian Defense Ministry stated that they were informed of the identical figure from Ukraine.

“It’s very important to bring everyone home,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram, thanking all who worked to secure their return and pledging to continue diplomatic efforts to make more exchanges possible.

Scores of family members of incarcerated individuals shouted "Thank you!" and cheered as buses transporting the released detainees pulled up at a healthcare center in Ukraine’s Chernihiv area.

Some of the men had stoic expressions, while others struggled to hide their feelings as they stepped off the buses, draped in Ukrainian flags for exuberant homecomings.

Kyiv In Istanbul last week, Moscow concurred with an agreement for both sides to swap 1,000 prisoners each as part of their initial face-to-face peace discussions since the onset of Russia’s 2022 invasion. However, this gathering spanned just two hours without yielding progress in American-led initiatives aimed at halting the conflict. fighting .

The exchange happened at the frontier with Belarus in northeastern Ukraine, as stated by an anonymous Ukrainian official who requested confidentiality since they were unauthorized to comment officially.

The freed Russians were transported to Belarus for medical care, according to the Russian Defence Ministry.

The swap, marking yet another among numerous exchanges since the conflict started and being the largest involving Ukrainian citizens simultaneously, did not signal an end to the combat.

Fighting persisted across approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) of frontline, with tens of thousands of troops losing their lives; however, both nations remained resolute in conducting profound assaults.

Russia fired two ballistic missiles at infrastructure targets in the southwestern Ukrainian port city of Odesa. The incident resulted in two fatalities and eight injuries among the workforce, as reported by Regional Governor Oleh Kiper. This marked the initial documented assault on the port since March 11.

Throughout the day, Moscow's troops bombarded settlements in the Kherson region using artillery, mortars, and drones, resulting in the deaths of three civilians and injuries to ten others, as reported by the Kherson Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

Serhii Horbunov, who leads the city’s military administration, reported that they also bombarded Kostyantynivka using artillery, resulting in one civilian death.

When the released prisoners walked into the healthcare center, individuals waving placards and pictures of their family members called out names or unit designations, hoping for information about someone dear. The returning soldiers examined the photographs closely, and an enlisted man mentioned that he had been locked up alongside one of the faces amidst the multitude of images being shown his way.

Vanya!" shouted Nataliia Mosych amidst the assembled family members, "My husband!

She told us with a smile that she hadn't laid eyes on her spouse, Ivan, in nearly two years.

It’s an incredible sensation. I’m still in awe," Mosych stated as he emerged from the building to join his loved ones post-registration. "I feel genuinely elated, and we haven’t been overlooked; we continue to matter to Ukraine.

A number of those who gained freedom shared feelings of astonishment and skepticism at having been swapped. Several struggled with recalling the names and specifics of their former lives prior to being captured.

One released POW joked in a video call with his girlfriend that he got a bit older in his three-year absence, and she replied he was as beautiful as ever.

Many relatives wept when it became clear their loved ones were not among those returning, and they hoped those who were released could at least offer some information about their husbands, brothers and sons.

"Perhaps my father will visit me tomorrow," a little lad exclaimed.

The news about the prisoner swap came to light after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that both Russia and Ukraine had facilitated a significant exchange.

A significant prisoner exchange has been finalized between Russia and Ukraine," Trump stated on the Truth Social platform. He mentioned that it will "come into effect soon.

In his posting, he mentioned “this might result in something significant???,” seemingly alluding to additional diplomatic initiatives aimed at halting the conflict.

Following the discussions on May 16, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan referred to the prisoner exchange as a "measure to build trust" and mentioned that all sides concurred with meeting once more at an upcoming date.

However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Friday that they have not reached an accord regarding the location for the upcoming negotiations as diplomatic maneuvers were still underway.

On Friday evening, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow would present Ukraine with a draft document detailing their terms for a "lasting, far-reaching, comprehensive" peace deal after the current prisoner swap was completed.

Leaders from Europe have charged Russian President Vladimir Putin with delaying peace negotiations as he seeks to leverage his superior military forces for further gains on the battlefield and seize additional territory in Ukraine.

The discussions in Istanbul showed that both parties were still widely separated when it came to crucial terms for halting the conflict. A primary demand from Ukraine, supported by its Western partners, was a provisional truce as an initial move towards resolving tensions peacefully.

The Kremlin has opposed a short-term ceasefire, with Putin stating that any such pause should be accompanied by a stop to Western weapons deliveries to Ukraine and the conclusion of Ukraine’s military recruitment efforts.

A high-ranking Ukrainian representative stated in Istanbul that Russia has presented fresh "unacceptable conditions" for Ukraine to vacate extensive areas of land. This official, lacking authorization to comment publicly, talked with The Associated Press under the condition of confidentiality. They noted that these suggestions had not been part of earlier talks.

Putin has long demanded as a key condition for a peace deal that Ukraine withdraw its troops from the four regions that Russia annexed in September 2022 but never fully controlled.

Zelenskyy has warned that if Russia continues to reject a ceasefire and make “unrealistic demands,” it will signal deliberate efforts to prolong the war — a move that should bring tougher international sanctions.

The Russian Defense Ministry stated that they had taken out 788 Ukrainian drones before they could reach the battlefield from May 20 to May 23.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 175 Shahed drones along with some dummy ones and a ballistic missile starting from late Thursday.

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