In a historic event, an exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine has occurred in the largest prisoner swap since the start of their long-running war.
On Saturday, Ukraine and Russia both released prisoners of war to end five years of bitter conflict. In total, the swap involved 76 Ukrainians and 35 Russians who had been captured during the 2014 separatists’ conflict. It was the first such exchange of prisoners since the fighting began in 2014, and was conducted in line with the Minsk peace agreements.
The Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, released 35 Russians on Saturday as well as granting what he termed “special pardons” to another 41 prisoners, in a move designed to encourage a peace settlement between the countries. In response, Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, reciprocated by releasing 76 Ukrainians from Russian prisons.
The prisoners taken in the exchange had all been convicted in Russia on a range of charges including terrorism and treason. Many of those released on Saturday had been held captive for a long period of time, with some of the Ukrainians reported to have been in jail for over five years.
Putin’s press secretary described the swap as a humanitarian act intended to ease tension between the two countries, while Zelenskiy proposed the exchange as a way of kick-starting diplomatic talks.
Despite the exchange, tensions remain high between Russia and Ukraine following a number of ongoing issues. However, the release of the prisoners represents a positive step toward a peaceful resolution to the long-running conflict.