TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Russia and Ukraine carried out a prisoner exchange on Saturday, May 24, 2025. A total of 307 prisoners were exchanged between the two countries, according to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense, as reported by Al Arabiya on the same day.
On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that his government was willing to hand over to Ukraine a draft document outlining the terms for a long-term peace agreement once the prisoner exchange was completed.
According to France24, the exchange took place just hours after Kyiv was hit by a large-scale Russian drone and missile attack that left at least 15 people injured. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that each side brought home 307 soldiers on Saturday, a day after both had released a total of 390 fighters and civilians.
“We expect more to come tomorrow,” Zelensky said on his Telegram channel.
Prisoner Exchange
The negotiation resulted in the exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each side, making it the largest prisoner swap since the conflict began in 2022. A meeting in Istanbul earlier this month also marked the first time both parties had met for peace talks since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
In June 2024, both sides had exchanged 90 prisoners of war, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) acting as mediator. On May 31, 2024, Russia and Ukraine each released 75 prisoners of war, again with the UAE serving as intermediary.
Stages of Release
The agreed-upon prisoners are to be returned in several phases. The first phase of the exchange took place on Friday, May 23, when Russia and Ukraine each released 390 prisoners, including 120 civilians. Another 307 prisoners were exchanged on Saturday, May 24.
Both sides stated that more releases would occur in the coming days. The exchange took place at the border between Belarus and northern Ukraine.
Ongoing Attacks
Despite being in the midst of a prisoner exchange, Russia continued its attacks on Ukraine, launching the largest combined drone and ballistic missile strike to date in Kyiv. According to Al Jazeera on Saturday, May 24, 2025, the head of the regional government in Kharkiv reported that four Ukrainian civilians were killed and several others injured within 24 hours in the region.
City officials and witnesses reported a series of explosions and waves of Russian drones flying over the city. In a social media post, Zelensky said the country had endured a difficult night due to the attacks.
“It is obvious that we need to put much more pressure on Russia to get results and start real diplomacy. We are waiting for sanctions from the US, Europe and all our partners. Only additional sanctions against key sectors of the Russian economy will force Moscow to agree to a ceasefire,” he said.
No Sign of Peace Yet
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the talks in Istanbul, Turkey, only resulted in an agreement on the prisoner exchange and that Moscow had yet to send any signal of a peace proposal.
“One week has passed since the Istanbul meeting, and Russia has yet to send its ‘peace memorandum.’ Instead, Russia sends deadly drones and missiles at civilians,” said Sybiha.
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