'Our people are home': Exclusive report from largest prisoner swap (photos, videos)
Photo: First stage of prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia took place (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The first part of the large prisoner exchange 1,000 for 1,000 between Ukraine and Russia has taken place. Within the swap framework, 390 Ukrainian military personnel and civilians were released.
Here's RBC-Ukraine's report from the scene.
Today, 270 military personnel and 120 Ukrainian civilians returned home. The soldiers defended Ukrainian territory in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, and other directions.
Photo: Ukrainians released from captivity (Vitalii Nosach/RBC-Ukraine)
Among those released are three women and 387 men. After the exchange, they will undergo medical examinations, physical and psychological rehabilitation, and receive other forms of assistance.
Since the largest prisoner exchange since the start of the full-scale invasion will take place over three days, several hundred people came to welcome the released. Among them were relatives of other prisoners and missing persons who were trying to get any information.
Photo: welcoming of Ukrainians released from captivity (Vitalii Nosach/RBC-Ukraine)
As reported by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, the lists for the exchange were compiled "based on a single criterion — to save lives." He added that the Ukrainian authorities will continue working to bring back all captured defenders and civilians.
Ukraine and Russia agreed on the 1,000 for 1,000 prisoner exchange
The agreement on the prisoner exchange format was reached during the first direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in three years, with Türkiye acting as a mediator.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the agreement on the large-scale exchange was perhaps the only tangible result of the negotiations in Istanbul.
The first to announce the agreement was Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who led the Ukrainian delegation. He announced the large-scale 1,000 for 1,000 exchange with Russia.
Later, Vadym Skibitsky, a representative of the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense who also participated in the talks, spoke about starting the processing of lists for the return of prisoners.
The Security Service of Ukraine reported an intensification of the work of the Joint Center for the Coordination of the Search and Release of Prisoners. In particular, preparations began for infrastructure and medical resources to receive Ukrainian defenders upon their return.
Initiative came from Türkiye
According to CNN, the idea for the exchange came from Türkiye. A Turkish official reported that during tense moments in the negotiations, Ankara proposed the exchange option to break the deadlock in talks, which occurred when Russia began demanding control over four regions of Ukraine.
Just two days after the meeting with the Russian delegation, Umerov announced the agreement on a step-by-step plan to implement the deal. The process involves the Ministry of Defense, the Defense Intelligence, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights.
Earlier, Zelenskyy stated at a briefing that the current exchange concerns only military prisoners. He called the exchange of children for military prisoners unfair and contrary to laws, "even the laws of war."
Exchange will take several days
Neither Ukraine nor Russia officially disclosed the exact date of the exchange. The head of the Defence Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, only mentioned that the exchange could take place this week.
The Russian side, however, stated that the exchange would occur over several days due to "technical complexity." Sources of RBC-Ukraine confirmed that the process will take three days.
At the same time, the Kremlin confirmed its interest in the "swift implementation" of the agreement. Yesterday, the parties exchanged lists of prisoners. Ukraine stated that it is carefully verifying the information on each individual.
The previous prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia took place on May 6, 2025. Then, 205 Ukrainian servicemen returned home. It was the fifth exchange in 2025 and the 64th since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Among those released were three Ukrainian officers and 202 soldiers and sergeants who served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine (including the Navy, Air Force, Air Assault Forces, Territorial Defense Forces), as well as in the National Guard of Ukraine and the State Border Guard Service.
They defended Ukraine on the hottest fronts — Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, as well as in Kherson, Sumy, and Kyiv regions. Among them were also heroes of the Mariupol garrison.
