185 prisoners return home in major Russia-Ukraine exchange after years in captivity

Russia and Ukraine carried out a significant prisoner-of-war exchange on Friday, with both sides confirming the return of 185 captured soldiers each. The swap marks one of the few areas of cooperation between the two nations despite the ongoing conflict that began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Russia’s defense ministry said 185 Russian service members were returned from territory controlled by Ukraine, while 185 Ukrainian prisoners of war were handed over in exchange.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the return of the soldiers, noting that some had been held in captivity since 2022. He reiterated that bringing home every Ukrainian prisoner remains a top national priority.

Images released by Ukrainian officials showed emotional scenes as freed soldiers, many with shaved heads, embraced one another while wrapped in Ukrainian flags.

The exchange comes a day after Zelenskyy urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to direct talks aimed at ending the prolonged war.