Ukraine and Russia carry out big Easter prisoner swap: All details

“Our people are returning home. 175 servicemembers. Warriors of the Armed Forces, National Guard members, border guards. Privates, sergeants, and officers. And seven civilians,” Zelenskyy said.

The returned servicemen had been defending Ukraine in various areas: Mariupol, the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Kyiv, and Kursk directions.

Some of them are wounded. Most had been in captivity since 2022. But finally, they are home.

“I thank every unit that replenishes our exchange fund and thereby brings the return of our people closer. Bringing everyone back from Russian captivity is a matter of principle for us. I thank everyone in the world who is helping us with this,” the president noted.

Photo: Ukraine and Russia carried out a prisoner exchange (t.me/Kyrylo_Budanov_Official)

Photo: Ukraine and Russia carried out a prisoner exchange (t.me/Kyrylo_Budanov_Official)

Photo: Ukraine and Russia carried out a prisoner exchange (t.me/Kyrylo_Budanov_Official)

Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Office of the President, clarified that 182 Ukrainians—175 military personnel and 7 civilians—were returned as part of the exchange.

"I am glad that the majority of the released soldiers had been held captive since 2022, including the heroic defenders of Mariupol. Also, at home are 25 officers, whose release was an extremely difficult task, but the entire Coordination Headquarters team managed it, once again achieving results," he noted.

Budanov thanked partners from the United States of America and the United Arab Emirates for their assistance in conducting the Easter exchange.

Photos from the prisoner exchange on April 11 (t.me/Koord_shtab)

Photos from the prisoner exchange on April 11 (t.me/Koord_shtab)

Photos from the prisoner exchange on April 11 (t.me/Koord_shtab)

Photos from the prisoner exchange on April 11 (t.me/Koord_shtab)

Photos from the prisoner exchange on April 11 (t.me/Koord_shtab)

Photos from the prisoner exchange on April 11 (t.me/Koord_shtab)

Photos from the prisoner exchange on April 11 (t.me/Koord_shtab)

Photos from the prisoner exchange on April 11 (t.me/Koord_shtab)

Photos from the prisoner exchange on April 11 (t.me/Koord_shtab)

The Coordination Headquarters noted that the youngest person released is 22 years old, while the oldest is 63.

In total, among the servicemen released today are representatives of the Navy, the Army, the Transport Troops, the Airborne Forces, the Special Forces, the Air Force, the Security Service of Ukraine, as well as the National Guard of Ukraine and the State Border Guard Service.

Also among the returning home today were seven Ukrainian civilians who had been taken captive by Russian occupation forces back in 2022.

Exchanges between Ukraine and Russia

Ukraine and Russia carried out an exchange on March 5–6. At that time, the sides implemented an agreement on the mutual return of prisoners under the 500 for 500 formula. The process was planned over two days: an initial release of 200 people and then the return of another 300 defenders.

The list of those released included representatives of various units: the Armed Forces of Ukraine — soldiers of the Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Air Assault Forces, and Unmanned Systems Forces, Territorial Defense Forces, National Guard, State Border Guard Service, and the State Special Transport Service.

Among those released were also defenders of Mariupol, whose captivity lasted almost four years. The freed included officers, sergeants, and soldiers who had held the line in the Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, and Donetsk directions.

Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets stressed the poor health condition of the returned servicemen. According to him, many soldiers were diagnosed with critical exhaustion (low body weight), and a significant number are in severe psychological condition.