War in Ukraine: Kiev and Moscow exchanged 350 prisoners before temporary ceasefire

The Ukraine and Russia exchanged 175 prisoners of war from each side, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday. The exchange was confirmed by the Ukrainian president. Seven civilians from each side were also released.

A few hours before the 32-hour Easter truce announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin and accepted by his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, Moscow and Kiev exchanged on Saturday, April 11, 350 prisoners of war, specifically 175 from each side, as stated by the Russian Defense Ministry.

“The 11th of April, 175 Russian military personnel were repatriated from the territory controlled by Kiev. In exchange, 175 prisoners of war from the Ukrainian armed forces were returned,” said the ministry in a statement released on the MAX application. The exchange was also confirmed by the Ukrainian president.

Some of the Ukrainian prisoners had been in captivity since the beginning of the war.

“Most of the soldiers released were in captivity since 2022,” said Volodymyr Zelensky, specifying that they had been captured in various battles, including in Mariupol, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and the Russian region of Kursk targeted by a Ukrainian operation in 2024 and 2025. The Ukrainian leader emphasized that among the 175 prisoners were soldiers from the armed forces, members of the National Guard, and border guards. According to Moscow and Kiev, 14 detained civilians, seven from each side, were also exchanged on Saturday and released.

The Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners and drone strikes in the night from Friday to Saturday, just hours before the official start of the temporary ceasefire for Orthodox Easter. Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Saturday that Kiev would respond “blow for blow” to any violation of the ceasefire.

Context: The exchange of prisoners between Ukraine and Russia occurred on the eve of a temporary ceasefire declared for Easter.

Fact Check: The prisoner exchange involved 350 individuals, with 175 from each side being repatriated. It was part of efforts to reduce tensions between the two countries.