Ukraine and Russia are planning to conduct an exchange of prisoners of war (POWs) on April 19, Sky News reported on April 18, citing an undisclosed source.
According to the source, the swap will reportedly involve 246 POWs from each side, as well as 46 injured soldiers. The swap will be mediated by the United Arab Emirates, Sky News reported.
Russia and Ukraine have held 62 prisoner swaps throughout the full-scale war. The most recent POW exchange between Ukraine and Russia took place on March 19, with 175 Ukrainians brought back home.
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale war in 2022, Kyiv has returned 4,306 people from Russia's captivity, including both soldiers and civilians.
Ukraine does not reveal the exact figures on how many Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW) are held in Russia. According to Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, Russia holds over 16,000 Ukrainian civilians.
Ukraine floated the idea of an all-for-all prisoner exchange already back in 2024, but Russia has not agreed to the proposal.
Andrea Januta
Independent journalism needs a community —
not a paywall.
We’re working hard to show the world the truth of Russia’s brutal war — and we’re keeping it free for everyone, because reliable information should be available to all.
Our goal: reach 20,000 members to prove independent journalism can survive without paywalls, billionaires, or compromise. Will you help us do it?
(Updated: )
