Russia and Ukraine have each released 25 captured prisoners of war in the first exchange of 2025, both countries said on Wednesday.
Thousands of fighters have been returned in dozens of exchanges since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, a rare form of cooperation between Moscow and Kyiv after nearly three years of fighting.
“As a result of the negotiation process, 25 Russian servicemen were returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime. In return, 25 Ukrainian servicemen were handed over,” Russia’s defence ministry said on Telegram.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said 25 people were “returning home to Ukraine”, including some who fought at the Azovstal steel plant in the southern city of Mariupol, captured by Russia in May 2022.
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He said some of those released were “civilians”, though Russia said it had released only Ukrainian soldiers.