Russia and Ukraine carried out one of their largest prisoner exchanges, with more than 500 people returned to their home countries.
Russian state media RIA Novosti first announced the swap, which Russia’s Defense Ministry later confirmed, stating 246 Russian soldiers were returned. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy verified that 277 Ukrainian defenders had been freed.
According to Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, 246 soldiers were released as part of the official exchange, while an additional 31 were freed under separate arrangements. Russian media reported that in what they termed a “gesture of goodwill,” 31 wounded Ukrainian soldiers were exchanged for 15 injured Russian servicemen requiring urgent medical care.
Over 500 POWs exchanged in one of the largest Russia–Ukraine swaps yet.
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) April 19, 2025
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246 Russians returned
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In emotional footage, freed Ukrainian POWs… pic.twitter.com/gohuUtNiNM
Ukraine welcomes young, long-held defenders
“Most of those who were returned are young people born after 2000. A female service member who has been in captivity since May 2022 will see her family today,” Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters stated.
This marks the fourth prisoner exchange in 2025 and the 63rd since the beginning of the full-scale war.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported that 77 of the returned servicemen belonged to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, including 73 National Guard members and 4 border guards. Many had endured nearly three years in Russian captivity.
The returned Ukrainian defenders also include Armed Forces and State Special Transport Service personnel. Many had fought in the defense of Mariupol and other positions across Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
UAE mediates as Ukraine plans support
The United Arab Emirates once again served as mediator for the exchange.
Ukrainian authorities report that since the full-scale invasion began, 4,552 Ukrainians—both military personnel and civilians—have been returned from Russian captivity.
Media reports on 18 April predicted this exchange would occur the following day. Reuters, citing unnamed sources, had reported that approximately 500 prisoners and 46 wounded soldiers were expected to be exchanged.
The previous large-scale exchange occurred on 19 March, when 175 Ukrainian servicemen were returned in exchange for 175 Russian soldiers. During that swap, 22 severely wounded Ukrainians were also released separately, which Russia described as another “gesture of goodwill.”
All freed Ukrainian soldiers will undergo medical examinations, receive treatment, financial compensation for their time in captivity, and one-time state assistance.