Ukraine and Russia exchanged 175 prisoners of war each on April 11, with Russia also releasing seven civilians, in a deal mediated by the United Arab Emirates and the United States. This swap marks one of the largest recent exchanges between the two warring nations, according to reports from both sides. In February, Kiev and Moscow exchanged 157 prisoners of war each, the first such exchange since October 2025, as confirmed by officials from both countries.
Most of the Ukrainian prisoners of war have been in captivity since 2022, according to Ukrainian sources. Conflicting reports have emerged regarding the total number of prisoners exchanged by each side since Thursday, with the Russian army claiming the figure is 500, though this has not been independently verified. The prisoner exchange is part of an agreement reached during recent negotiations in Geneva, according to diplomatic sources.
Prisoner and body exchanges are the only concrete result of several cycles of direct talks between Kiev and Moscow organized since 2025 under pressure from Washington, as reported by international mediators. A ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is planned to begin on Saturday in connection with Orthodox Easter celebrations, according to statements from both governments. Diplomatic talks have faced setbacks, as a new tripartite meeting was expected this week but has been suspended indefinitely due to the war in the Middle East, according to officials involved in the negotiations.
Uncertainties persist about whether the seven civilians released by Russia are included in the count of 175 prisoners exchanged on April 11, with conflicting accounts from Ukrainian and Russian authorities. Further unknowns surround the exact terms and duration of the ceasefire planned for Saturday in connection with Orthodox Easter, as details have not been publicly disclosed by either side. The reasons for the discrepancy in reported numbers of prisoners exchanged between sources are also unclear, with analysts suggesting it may involve different counting methods or information warfare tactics.
The current status and future prospects of the tripartite talks suspended due to the war in the Middle East remain unclear, with no resumption date announced by participating countries. Discrepancies in reported numbers of prisoners exchanged highlight broader issues of information warfare in the conflict, according to security experts monitoring the situation. Looking ahead, the future prospects for suspended diplomatic talks depend on factors such as the evolution of the Middle East conflict and political will from both Ukraine and Russia, as noted by international observers.