Ukraine and Russia carry out first prisoner swap in four months
Photo: Ukraine and Russia conducted the first prisoner exchange in four months (t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)
Ukraine and Russia have exchanged prisoners for the first time in a long time. 157 citizens have been returned home, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Read also: Zelenskyy announces first prisoner swap with Russia in four months
150 military personnel and seven Ukrainian civilians have been freed from Russian captivity. Among those released are wounded military personnel.
Servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are returning home, including representatives of the Navy, Ground Forces, Troops of the Armed Forces, Airborne Forces, Air Force, as well as the National Guard of Ukraine and the State Border Guard Service. Not only soldiers and sergeants, but officers were also released.
The released servicemen defended the country in the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Sumy, and Kyiv regions.
Photo: Ukraine has returned 157 military personnel and civilians from captivity (t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)
Photo: Ukraine has returned 157 military personnel and civilians from captivity (t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)
Photo: Ukraine has returned 157 military personnel and civilians from captivity (t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)
Photo: Ukraine has returned 157 military personnel and civilians from captivity (t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)
Photo: Ukraine has returned 157 military personnel and civilians from captivity (t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)
Photo: Ukraine has returned 157 military personnel and civilians from captivity (t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)
Photo: Ukraine has returned 157 military personnel and civilians from captivity (t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)
Photo: Ukraine has returned 157 military personnel and civilians from captivity (t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)
More than half of the soldiers freed today were captured during the defense of Mariupol. A National Guard serviceman who was captured during the seizure of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant is also returning home.
The 139 Ukrainian citizens released today had been held captive in Russia since 2022.
A special feature of today's exchange is that Ukrainians who had been illegally convicted return home.
The youngest freed defender is 23 years old. He was captured at the age of 19 during the defense of Mariupol. A Russian court illegally sentenced the young man to life imprisonment.
The oldest defender freed today is 63 years old.
Exchanges between Ukraine and Russia have not taken place for a long time
The president of Ukraine said that the exchange of prisoners of war with Russia could take place in the near future. He announced this on Wednesday, February 4, after talks with the Ukrainian delegation following the first day of the second round of negotiations with the US and Russia, which are taking place in the United Arab Emirates.
Over the past four months, there have been no exchanges. At least publicly. According to Zelenskyy, the reason for this was Russia's blocking of the process.
Back in January, the president said that Moscow was putting pressure on Kyiv, deliberately slowing down agreements on the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war.
When was the last large-scale exchange, and who was returned?
The last combined exchange took place in October 2025. At that time, 185 military personnel and 20 civilians were returned from Russian captivity. Most Ukrainians had been held captive since 2022.
Servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine returned home, including representatives of:
- the Navy;
- the Army;
- the Territorial Defense Forces;
- the Air Assault Forces;
- the National Guard;
- the State Border Guard Service.
Among those released were not only soldiers and sergeants, but also officers.
The defenders participated in battles in the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Kyiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions.
Among those released were also defenders of Mariupol, as well as National Guard soldiers who were captured while guarding the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
Peace talks in Abu Dhabi
On February 4, 2026, the first day of the second round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, the US, and Russia ended in Abu Dhabi. The talks continue today in the same format: trilateral consultations, group work, and further synchronization of positions.
The first round took place on January 23-24. At that time, the parties made progress on military issues, but no agreements were reached on territories. The second round was originally scheduled for February 1, but was postponed.
After the first meeting, Russia agreed to an energy truce, but later violated it, striking heating facilities in Kyiv and Kharkiv during the cold. After that, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the work of the Ukrainian delegation would be adjusted.
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is ready to support US de-escalation initiatives but expects Moscow to take corresponding steps. The most difficult issue remains the topic of territories.
