Ukraine, Russia begin what is expected to be largest prisoner swap since 2022 invasion

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: May 23, 2025 12:06 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

Russia and Ukraine each released 390 prisoners connected Friday and said they would escaped much successful the coming days, successful what is expected to beryllium the biggest captive swap of the warfare truthful far.

The statement to speech 1,000 prisoners each was the lone factual measurement toward bid to look past week from 2 hours of talks successful Istanbul, the archetypal nonstop talks betwixt the warring sides successful much than 3 years.

The Russian Ministry of Defence said each broadside had released 270 soldiers and 120 civilians connected Friday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the full of 390 each, and said much would beryllium released connected Saturday and Sunday.

Earlier, Ukrainian authorities told reporters to assemble astatine a determination successful the bluish Chernihiv portion successful anticipation that immoderate freed prisoners could beryllium brought there.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers connected some sides are believed to person been wounded oregon killed successful Europe's deadliest warfare since the Second World War, though neither broadside publishes close casualty figures. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians person besides died arsenic Russian forces person besieged and bombarded Ukrainian cities.

The Russian Defence Ministry said those released included civilians captured successful Russia's Kursk portion during a Ukrainian incursion determination that began past year.

The freed Russian servicemen and civilians were successful Belarus, which neighbours Ukraine, and receiving intelligence and aesculapian assistance earlier being moved to Russia for further care, it said.

Deadly onslaught successful Odesa

While U.S. President Donald Trump has said helium is losing patience with some countries arsenic the U.S. seeks an extremity to the war, successful wide helium has shifted American argumentation from supporting Ukraine with important subject and humanitarian assistance to accepting immoderate of Russia's relationship of the war.

Trump said helium could tighten sanctions connected Moscow if it blocked peace, but aft speaking with Putin connected Monday determination was nary contiguous action, adjacent arsenic the European Union issued its 17th sanctions bundle against Russia.

Referring to the captive swap earlier connected Friday, Trump wrote connected Truth Social: "Congratulations to some sides connected this negotiation. This could pb to thing big???"

Moscow says it is ceasefire-ready for talks portion the warring goes on, and wants to sermon what it calls the war's "root causes," including its demands Ukraine cede much territory, and beryllium disarmed and barred from subject alliances with the West. Kyiv says that is tantamount to surrender and would permission it defenceless successful the look of aboriginal Russian attacks.

Meanwhile, warring has continued.

WATCH l Canadian drama fable connected Ukraine connection, inspiring Kyiv visit:

Russia, which occupies astir one-fifth of Ukraine, claimed connected Friday to person captured a colony called Rakivka successful Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region.

The politician of Ukraine's Odesa region, Oleh Kiper, said Russia had struck larboard infrastructure determination with 2 missiles connected Friday afternoon, sidesplitting 1 idiosyncratic and wounding eight.