On Sunday, May 25, Ukraine and Russia successfully completed a significant prisoner exchange, trading 1,000 prisoners each as part of an agreement brokered in Istanbul, Turkey. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the exchange, announcing the return of 303 Ukrainian defenders from Russian captivity.
“This is the third part of the 1000-for-1000 exchange deal, and it has been successfully completed,” Zelensky stated in a message posted on X (formerly Twitter). He emphasized that the released individuals were members of the Armed Forces, National Guard, State Border Guard Service, and the State Special Transport Service.
President Zelensky expressed gratitude to the negotiation team that worked “around the clock” to ensure the success of the operation and reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to bringing back all citizens held in Russian custody. Shared images captured emotional reunions among the released prisoners, many of whom were seen with shaved heads, wrapped in Ukrainian flags, and embracing each other with joy.
The Russian Defence Ministry also confirmed the exchange, stating that in accordance with the agreements reached on May 16 in Istanbul, 303 Russian prisoners of war were returned from Ukraine in exchange for 303 Ukrainian captives.
However, just hours after the exchange, Ukraine faced a massive drone and missile assault by Russian forces. The attack struck Kyiv and other regions, leaving at least 12 people dead and many more injured, casting a grim shadow over the humanitarian breakthrough.
The prisoner swap is one of the largest since the full-scale war began and underscores the ongoing efforts by international intermediaries to facilitate dialogue and humanitarian cooperation amidst the ongoing conflict.
