Ukraine War: Russia and Ukraine exchange first 390 prisoners

Russia and Ukraine have started their greatest prisoner exchange so far and released 390 people each. The Defense Ministry in Moscow said that 270 prisoners of war and 120 civilians were given. The agreed exchange of a total of 1,000 prisoners each will continue in the coming days. The Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj confirmed the beginning of the exchange.

The largest prisoner exchange so far in more than three years of the Russian attack war against Ukraine was agreed last week during talks in Istanbul. He remained the only result of the first direct Russian-Ukrainian talks since 2022, which in particular had pushed US President Donald Trump. In the days since then, both sides exchanged name lists and made preparations.

Other prisoners should come free at the weekend

Selenskyj wrote that other prisoners should be released this Saturday and Sunday. He thanked everyone involved who worked on the fact that all prisoners could return home. “We check every name, information about every person,” he said. The diplomatic efforts would have to go on to enable such steps.

According to the responsible Kiev coordination team, three women and 387 men from Russian captivity were released. The released soldiers had therefore defended the Ukraine in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Saporischschja, Kharkiw and Cherson regions. They were also involved in fighting in the areas of Chernihiw, Sumy and Kiev. Among the returnees are members of the armed forces, in particular the navy, the air landing forces, territorial defense, the National Guard and border protection. All released would be medically examined and received physical and psychological help.

Because of the large number of prisoners of war, the exchange will take three days, the portal “RBK Ukraine” reported.

Trump congratulates the first

The Ministry of Defense in Moscow continued to say that among the Russian civilians who have returned from Ukrainian captivity are also citizens from the temporarily controlled places in the Russian area of ​​Kursk. “The Russian soldiers and civilians are currently in the territory of the Republic of Belarus, where they receive the necessary psychological and medical help,” said the message. They should all come to Russia soon to continue their treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions.

With the news of the exchange, US President Trump was the first to go public on Friday. “Congratulations on both sides on these negotiations,” he wrote in his online language tube Truth Social.