KYIV, Ukraine — Russia and Ukraine exchanged 307 prisoners of war (POWs) each on Saturday, marking the second and largest phase of a coordinated swap effort that has become the most extensive exchange since the war began more than three years ago.
The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the exchange, stating that its returning troops had been held in Ukrainian-controlled territory and would first undergo medical and psychological evaluations in Belarus before heading back to Russia.
“Another 307 members of the Russian military were returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime. In exchange, 307 Ukrainian prisoners of war were transferred over,” the ministry said.
The weekend swap follows Friday’s exchange of 390 prisoners per side, bringing the current total to nearly 1,400 individuals released. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the operation is ongoing, with 1,000 POWs expected to be exchanged on each side.
“We expect the exchange to continue tomorrow,” Zelensky noted on Saturday.
Russia has indicated it will present peace terms to Ukraine following the completion of the weekend’s prisoner releases. However, Moscow has not disclosed what conditions it intends to propose. While regular swaps have taken place since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, this operation marks the largest coordinated release effort to date.
Despite mounting international pressure, Russian President Vladimir Putin has continued his military campaign, refusing calls for an unconditional truce. The war has claimed tens of thousands of lives, with no sign of a ceasefire in sight.
A Kremlin statement emphasized the “humanitarian gesture” of the swap, while also reinforcing that Russia remains committed to its strategic aims in Ukraine. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts have intensified, although the Kremlin has shown no shift in its long-standing maximalist demands for ending the conflict.
As the newly freed Ukrainian soldiers returned to Chernigiv region in northern Ukraine, emotional reunions unfolded. A reporter from AFP witnessed emaciated but smiling soldiers stepping off buses, greeted by tearful family members, some clutching photographs in hopes of recognizing their loved ones.
Among them was Viktor Syvak, 58, who had been captured in the port city of Mariupol and held in Russian captivity for over three years.
“I didn’t expect such a welcome. It’s impossible to describe. I can’t put it into words. It’s very joyful,” he told reporters.
In Russia, returning detainees included 270 military personnel and 120 civilians, some reportedly from areas of Kursk region that had fallen under Ukrainian control and occupation for several months.
President Donald Trump welcomed news of the exchange, congratulating both countries on the large-scale release. Though Trump has made multiple attempts to broker a ceasefire in what is now Europe’s largest conflict since World War II, his efforts have yet to produce a breakthrough.
The prisoner exchange has been one of the few sustained lines of communication between the warring sides. Both Ukraine and Russia acknowledge that thousands of POWs remain in captivity, with estimates suggesting that Russia holds between 8,000 and 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers.
While both governments have previously participated in smaller exchanges, this latest effort signals a tentative diplomatic opening, albeit one still overshadowed by continued fighting and deep-seated mistrust.
