Russia and Ukraine exchange another 307 prisoners in major swap deal
Russia and Ukraine continued their record-setting prisoner exchange on Saturday, with the Russian Ministry of Defence confirming a further release of 307 individuals by each side.
- Diplomacy
- DPA
- Published Date: 03:49 | 24 May 2025
Russia and Ukraine have continued their largest prisoner exchange to date, releasing a further 307 people each, the Russian Ministry of Defence said on Saturday.
A total exchange between Moscow and Kyiv of 1,000 prisoners each had been agreed upon in the largest such deal to date.
"The large-scale exchange initiated by the Russian side is continuing," the Russian Ministry of Defence announced.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Russia had also released 307 prisoners.
The previous day, 390 prisoners were freed on each side.
Zelensky said that further releases were expected on Sunday.
The Russian soldiers are currently on the territory of Belarus, where they are receiving the necessary psychological and medical assistance, the ministry in Moscow stated.
"All Russian military personnel will be brought to the Russian Federation for treatment and rehabilitation," it added.
Russia and Ukraine had announced several stages of this largest prisoner exchange to date.
"There is no greater joy," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha wrote on the platform X after the first round on Friday. "Such humanitarian confidence-building measures are crucial for our ongoing work to restore peace."
According to the responsible coordination staff in Kyiv, three women and 387 men were freed from Russian captivity on Friday. The released soldiers had reportedly defended Ukraine in the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, Kharkiv and Kherson. All are being medically examined and receiving physical and psychological assistance.
According to the Ministry of Defence in Moscow, 270 prisoners of war and 120 civilians were released from Ukrainian captivity on Friday. Among the civilians were also citizens from areas temporarily controlled by Kiev's troops in the Russian region of Kursk.
The exchange was agreed upon last week during talks in Istanbul. It remained the only concrete result of the first direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations since 2022, which had been particularly urged by US President Donald Trump.
A total exchange between Moscow and Kyiv of 1,000 prisoners each had been agreed upon in the largest such deal to date.
"The large-scale exchange initiated by the Russian side is continuing," the Russian Ministry of Defence announced.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Russia had also released 307 prisoners.
The previous day, 390 prisoners were freed on each side.
Zelensky said that further releases were expected on Sunday.
The Russian soldiers are currently on the territory of Belarus, where they are receiving the necessary psychological and medical assistance, the ministry in Moscow stated.
"All Russian military personnel will be brought to the Russian Federation for treatment and rehabilitation," it added.
Russia and Ukraine had announced several stages of this largest prisoner exchange to date.
"There is no greater joy," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha wrote on the platform X after the first round on Friday. "Such humanitarian confidence-building measures are crucial for our ongoing work to restore peace."
According to the responsible coordination staff in Kyiv, three women and 387 men were freed from Russian captivity on Friday. The released soldiers had reportedly defended Ukraine in the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, Kharkiv and Kherson. All are being medically examined and receiving physical and psychological assistance.
According to the Ministry of Defence in Moscow, 270 prisoners of war and 120 civilians were released from Ukrainian captivity on Friday. Among the civilians were also citizens from areas temporarily controlled by Kiev's troops in the Russian region of Kursk.
The exchange was agreed upon last week during talks in Istanbul. It remained the only concrete result of the first direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations since 2022, which had been particularly urged by US President Donald Trump.
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