Ukraine, Russia swap 175 servicemen each ahead of Easter ceasefire

KYIV - Ukraine and Russia exchanged 175 prisoners of war each on Saturday in their latest swap, officials from both countries said, as they prepare to start a ceasefire to mark Orthodox Easter.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine had brought home 175 servicemen and seven civilians from Russian captivity. He said the Ukrainian servicemen had defended the country on different fronts from the east to the south and most of them had been in captivity in Russia since 2022.

Russia's Defence Ministry said the United Arab Emirates had mediated the exchange. Russia took back175 servicemen andalso seven civilians originally from the Kursk region, the ministry said.

During more than four years of war, Kyiv and Moscow have carried out regular POW exchanges. They are among the few concrete results to emerge from several rounds of U.S.-brokered peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, which remain stalled over the issue of territory.

As both Ukraine and Russia celebrate Orthodox Easter this weekend, the countries have agreed on a short, 32-hour ceasefire to mark the holiday.

Russia said the ceasefire would begin at 4 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Saturday and end at midnight on Sunday.

Zelenskiy said he and his army chief had discussed the procedures for Ukrainian troops under the ceasefire.

"The absence of Russian strikes in the air, on land, and at sea will mean no response from our side," he said.

"A ceasefire at Easter could also become the beginning of real movement toward peace – our side has made the corresponding proposal."

- Olena Harmash; Editing by Alexander Smith and Gareth Jones/Reuters