‘We are bringing our people home’: Ukraine’s largest prisoner swap brings 390 troops back as families rush to reunion point

Families gathered along roadsides in northern Ukraine on Friday, wrapped in Ukrainian flags and holding photographs of captured soldiers. They are eagerly awaiting the return of prisoners in the largest exchange between Russia and Ukraine since the war began.

The prisoner swap, which is the only concrete outcome from direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul last week, will see both sides release 1,000 prisoners each. The process moved rapidly after the agreement, with families rushing to designated meeting points without knowing if their loved ones would be among those freed.

According to The Washington Post, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that 390 people would be returned initially, with more expected throughout the weekend. “We are bringing our people home,” he wrote. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the delivery of 390 prisoners to Ukraine, comprising 270 soldiers and 120 civilians.

Former US president advocates for peace talks, but progress remains limited

Former President Donald Trump, who pushed for the Istanbul talks, hoped they would lead to a ceasefire. However, Russia’s decision to send only a low-level delegation hindered significant progress. Despite this setback, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha considered the talks worthwhile solely for enabling family reunions.

Among those waiting at the reunion point was Mykola Hrytsak, a 39-year-old National Guardsman previously captured at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and later released. Along with two other former POWs, he waited, hoping to see some of their 65 friends still held in Russia.

The scene was emotional for many families, including Lina Marchenko, 46, who came searching for information about her husband, who disappeared in the Zaporizhzhia region in August. Similarly, Anna Pupenko, 29, and her husband Serhii arrived hoping to find news of friends who went missing during Ukraine’s operation in Russia’s Kursk region.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha praised the exchange as a significant achievement, stating that the otherwise unsuccessful talks were worthwhile solely for the family reunions they enabled. While Russia and Ukraine have conducted numerous prisoner swaps throughout the war, this marks the largest exchange to date.