Ukraine and Russia in Major Prisoner Swap

Ukraine and Russia have begun their largest exchange of prisoners since the war started in February 2022. On Friday, May 23, 2025, each side returned 390 people, consisting of both soldiers and civilians. More exchanges are expected over the weekend, with the two countries aiming to swap a total of 1,000 prisoners each.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his joy, stating, “We are bringing our people home”. He shared pictures of the returned Ukrainians, many with shaved heads and thin bodies, draped in Ukrainian flags. The Ukrainian government reported that the group of 390 included 270 military personnel and 120 civilians, with three women and 387 men among them. Russia’s defense ministry confirmed the same numbers for its returning troops and civilians. The Russian civilians returned were described by Zelensky as “Russian saboteurs and collaborators” who had been arrested by Ukrainian law enforcement.

This exchange is the result of negotiations held in Istanbul last week, marking the first direct talks between the two sides since the early months of the war. While these talks haven’t led to a broader ceasefire, the prisoner exchange has remained an area where communication between Ukraine and Russia has continued. There have been over 60 such exchanges in the past three years.

On Friday, hundreds of families gathered in the Chernihiv region of Ukraine, eagerly awaiting the arrival of buses carrying the freed service members. Many family members were wrapped in Ukrainian flags and carried photos of their loved ones. Upon stepping off the buses, some prisoners looked overwhelmed by the large crowd waiting for them. Soldiers were given phones at the hospital to call their families, with one soldier exclaiming, “Mom, I was exchanged… I am home. I am alive. Everything is good with me, Mom”.

The issue of prisoner treatment is very important in Ukraine, especially given reports of systemic mistreatment and torture of Ukrainian soldiers in Russian captivity. Ukraine’s prosecutor general, Andriy Kostin, estimates that about 90% of Ukrainians held by Russia have reported experiencing torture, rape, or other forms of abuse. While Ukraine has also faced accusations of mistreating Russian soldiers, the United Nations has noted that these cases are more isolated compared to the widespread mistreatment on the Russian side. Unlike Moscow, Kyiv allows the United Nations and Red Cross to visit prisoner of war camps, while these organizations have largely been denied access in Russia and Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory.

This article is based on the following articles:

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/23/europe/ukraine-and-russia-biggest-prisoner-exchange-war-intl

https://www.npr.org/2025/05/23/nx-s1-5408714/ukraine-russia-prisoners-exchange

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/23/world/europe/ukraine-russia-prisoner-swap.htm

Background Information

• What is a “war”? A war is a large-scale armed conflict between two or more countries or groups. It usually involves fighting with weapons, soldiers, and often causes a lot of damage and loss of life.
• Ukraine and Russia: These are two countries in Eastern Europe. They share a border.
• Invasion: An invasion is when an army from one country enters another country’s territory by force, usually with the goal of taking control. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
• Prisoners of War (POWs): These are soldiers who have been captured by the enemy during a war. International laws, like the Geneva Conventions, set rules for how POWs should be treated.
• Civilians: These are people who are not part of the military. They are ordinary citizens. In wars, civilians can sometimes be captured or harmed.
• Negotiations and Talks: These are discussions between opposing sides in a conflict to try and reach an agreement or solve problems peacefully. The prisoner exchange agreement was reached at negotiations in Istanbul.
• Ceasefire: A ceasefire is a temporary stop to fighting in a war, usually agreed upon by both sides to allow for talks or other actions. So far, the talks in Istanbul have not led to a ceasefire.
• Human Rights: These are basic rights and freedoms that all people are supposed to have, no matter where they live or who they are. Reports of mistreatment and torture of prisoners in the conflict raise concerns about human rights.
• United Nations (UN) and Red Cross: These are international organizations.
  • The United Nations is an organization of countries that work together on global issues like peace, security, and human rights.
  • The Red Cross (specifically, the International Committee of the Red Cross) is an organization that provides humanitarian aid and works to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict. Both the UN and Red Cross are often involved in monitoring how prisoners are treated and trying to get access to them.