Russia and Ukraine exchanged 300 prisoners of war each on Friday, according to the Russian army, in a swap mediated by the United Arab Emirates and the United States. A ceasefire linked to Orthodox Easter is planned to begin on Saturday.
The exchange on Friday brings the total number of prisoners swapped by each side since Thursday to 500, the Russian army said. However, conflicting figures have emerged from different sources, creating confusion about the true scale of the exchange. The Russian defence ministry stated that it swapped 150 Ukrainian soldiers for 150 Russian troops, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said 189 Ukrainians returned home. Earlier, both sides had reported an exchange of 175 prisoners each, according to Aftonbladet and the Ukrainian president. Gulf Today reported that the exchange involved 538 prisoners, including wounded. The discrepancies mean readers cannot determine the actual number of prisoners swapped.
The UAE and the US mediated the exchange, according to Moscow. The UAE's mediation efforts are the third within a month, Al-Ain media reported. The UAE Foreign Affairs Ministry expressed appreciation to Russia and Ukraine for their cooperation. The role of the US in mediation is disputed, as some sources mention only the UAE. The UAE has now helped bring home 3,771 people via exchanges, Gulf Today reported.
Ukrainian President Zelensky stated that most of the 175 prisoners had been in captivity since 2022. He mentioned seven civilians, but it is unclear if they are included in the 175. The released prisoners had fought on several of the war's most intense fronts, according to multiple reports. Released Ukrainians included defenders of Azovstal, Mariupol, Chernobyl, and Snake Island, Zelensky said.
A previous prisoner exchange occurred in February, involving 157 prisoners per side, according to multiple sources. This was the 59th prisoner exchange since the full-scale invasion began, research sources indicate. The total number of Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia is thought to be more than 8,000, according to officials in Kyiv.
Russia announced an Easter truce from Saturday to Sunday, the Kremlin said. President Vladimir Putin said Russia is ready for negotiations and welcomes the desire of the US, China, and other countries to reach a settlement. The ceasefire's durability remains uncertain, as previous truces have been violated.
Uncertainties persist: the exact number of prisoners exchanged, whether the US participated in mediation, whether the seven civilians are included in the 175, the total number of Ukrainian prisoners still held, and whether the Easter ceasefire will hold.