Russia and Ukraine Swap 175 Prisoners Each on Eve of Orthodox Easter

Russia and Ukraine exchanged 175 prisoners of war each on Saturday, plus seven Ukrainian civilians and seven Russian civilians, in their 72nd prisoner swap since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The exchange, mediated by the United Arab Emirates, took place hours before a 32-hour Orthodox Easter ceasefire began at 4 PM on April 11.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced: "Our people are returning home. 175 servicemembers. Warriors of the Armed Forces, National Guard members, border guards. Privates, sergeants, and officers. And seven civilians."

The freed Ukrainians include soldiers from the Armed Forces, National Guard, and Border Guard Service. Twenty-five officers were among them, described as "an exceptionally difficult task" by Presidential Office Head Kyrylo Budanov, as Russia had "previously categorically refused" to include officers in negotiations. More than half were captured during the siege of Mariupol in 2022. Others were taken at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and along fronts in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Kursk. Ages ranged from 22 to 63, and most had been in captivity since 2022.

The seven Russian civilians were the last Kursk region residents still in Ukrainian captivity following Ukraine's August 2024 incursion into Kursk Oblast. Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova traveled to Belarus to meet them.

Since the full-scale invasion, Kyiv has brought back more than 7,000 Ukrainians through prisoner exchanges. Over 2,500 Ukrainian POWs are believed to remain in Russian captivity. The war itself has reached what analysts describe as a near-standstill, with Russia occupying approximately 20% of internationally recognized Ukrainian territory and making only small, costly gains. The front line has largely stabilized since late 2025, though Zelensky warned that April through June represent "key months" that are "quite difficult politically and diplomatically."