The head of the President’s Office, Kyrylo Budanov, expressed optimism that Ukraine and Russia will conduct a new prisoner exchange within the week. His remarks came during a press briefing at the Justice Conference held in Kyiv on February 23.
Responding to a question from a Suspilne correspondent, Budanov stated, “We are working on this. I hope it will happen this week. The number is significant, more than last time, let’s say.” However, he did not provide further specifics regarding the exchange.
On February 20, President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that the next exchange of military personnel between Ukraine and Russia could occur soon.
The last prisoner swap took place on February 5, during which 157 Ukrainians, including both military members and civilians, were returned home. In return, an equal number of individuals were handed over to the Russian side.
Kyrylo Budanov has indicated that a new prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia could occur this week, with hopes for a larger number of individuals involved compared to previous exchanges. This follows recent statements from President Zelensky about the potential for an imminent swap.