On April 11, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a significant prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia, resulting in the return of 182 individuals, including 175 military personnel and seven civilians.
The returned soldiers included members of the Armed Forces, National Guard, and border guards, who had been held captive since 2022. They served in various regions, including Mariupol, Chernobyl, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Kyiv, and Kursk. Some of the returning soldiers were reported to be injured.
Zelensky expressed gratitude to all units involved in enhancing Ukraine’s exchange capacity, emphasizing the importance of bringing all captives home. He thanked international partners for their assistance in these efforts.
Kirill Budanov, head of the President’s Office, confirmed the details of the exchange and noted that the ongoing work for future exchanges continues. He highlighted that over 70 exchanges have occurred since the establishment of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, with more than 8,500 individuals returned to Ukraine.
Budanov remarked that each exchange is preceded by months of complex negotiations, underscoring the collaborative efforts required to facilitate these operations. On March 26, during a speech marking the fourth anniversary of the Coordination Headquarters, he stated that a total of 8,669 Ukrainians, both military and civilian, have been returned home over the past four years.
Earlier this month, on March 5 and 6, Ukraine and Russia also executed a prisoner exchange, where Ukraine secured the release of 500 military personnel. This arrangement was reached during negotiations held in Geneva in February.
A recent prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia has successfully returned 182 individuals, including military personnel and civilians. This marks a continuation of ongoing efforts to secure the release of captives held since 2022.