Russia and Ukraine Exchange 538 War Prisoners

The UAE-brokered prisoner exchange was made on the same day Russian President Vladimir Putin unilaterally declared a 30-hour Easter cease-fire.

A freed Ukrainian prisoner hugs a relative after an exchange at an undisclosed location in Ukraine on April 19, 2025. Tetiana Dzhafarova / AFP via Getty Images

Russia and Ukraine exchanged a total of 538 prisoners of war on April 19, in a deal mediated by the United Arab Emirates Foreign Ministry.

Each side agreed to release 246 of their war prisoners to the other side in what amounted to a one-for-one swap. Moscow agreed to release another 31 injured Ukrainian troops, while Kyiv agreed to release 15 injured Russian troops.