A major prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine has brought home a total of 780 people. This exchange is the largest since the war began in 2022.
Each side released 390 people, including 270 soldiers and 120 civilians. The swap happened at the Ukraine-Belarus border. It’s a result of direct talks in Istanbul, Turkey, last week.
Russia’s defense ministry said this is the first time a swap has included a large number of civilians. The released prisoners include people caught in recent fighting near the Russian border and those held since 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media, “We’re bringing Ukrainians home.” He confirmed that the government is carefully checking the identities of all released prisoners. Ukraine’s prisoner exchange center said the released soldiers fought in various areas, including Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, and key battle zones like Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kherson.