Russia, Ukraine swap hundreds of prisoners in largest exchange since the war began

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, “277 warriors have returned home from Russian captivity,” according to AP.

This major exchange happened on the same day Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire for Easter, saying it was for humanitarian reasons. The Kremlin said the ceasefire would last from 6 p.m. Moscow time on Saturday until midnight on Easter Sunday.

“We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example,” Putin said during a meeting with General Valery Gerasimov, as quoted by the Kremlin’s press service. He added, “Our troops must be ready to repel possible violations of the truce and provocations from the enemy.”

However, Zelenskyy dismissed the ceasefire as insincere. In a post on X , he said, “Air raid alerts are spreading across Ukraine,” and that “Shahed drones in our skies reveal Putin’s true attitude toward Easter and toward human life,” AP reported.

Our people are home—one of the best pieces of news that can be. Another 277 warriors have returned home from Russian captivity.

The warriors of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service, and the border guards. They defended… pic.twitter.com/bm4OF80o7o

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 19, 2025

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed its troops had taken control of the village of Oleshnya in the Kursk region, near the Ukrainian border, one of the last areas held by Ukrainian forces following a surprise incursion last year. This claim could not be independently confirmed by the AP, and Ukrainian officials had not responded at the time of reporting.

Russian news agency Tass reported that heavy fighting was still ongoing in the nearby village of Gornal, about 11 km south of Oleshnya. The report, quoting Russian security services, stated, “The Russian military has yet to push the Ukrainian armed forces out of Gornal… in order to completely liberate the Kursk region.”

Наші вдома – одна з найкращих новин, які можуть бути. Ще 277 воїнів повернулися додому з російського полону.

Воїни Збройних Сил України, Національної гвардії України, Державної спеціальної служби транспорту та прикордонники. Захищали Маріуполь та інші напрямки на Донеччині,… pic.twitter.com/SXfRKveHO0

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 19, 2025

The Russia, along with North Korean support, has taken back most of the region, weakening one of Kyiv’s key bargaining positions.

Elsewhere, Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 87 exploding drones and decoys overnight on Saturday. Thirty-three were shot down, and another 36 likely crashed due to electronic interference.

Farms in the Odesa region and areas in the Sumy region were damaged by the attacks, Ukraine’s emergency services said. Fires were contained and no injuries were reported.

Russia, on the other hand, said its air defence systems destroyed two Ukrainian drones during the same night.

(with Inputs from AP)