Ukraine frees 84 in new prisoner swap

Ukraine announces the release of 84 people in a fresh prisoner exchange with Russia.

Ukraine frees 84 from Russian captivity in new prisoner swap

Ukraine says 84 people were exchanged in a new prisoner swap with Russia, including 33 military personnel and 51 civilians. Among the civilians released are individuals who had been held by Russia since 2014, 2016, and 2017, and some of the military group are defenders of Mariupol. One detainee spent 4,013 days in captivity. The exchange was confirmed by both sides, and Kyiv notes the release of people captured before the 2022 invasion; several released have medical needs that require care and rehabilitation.

The swap follows a string of exchanges agreed during Istanbul talks and reflects ongoing use of prisoner diplomacy in the conflict. Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War says the youngest released is 26 and the oldest 74, highlighting the long arc of detention on both sides.

The move underscores how hostage exchanges remain a political tool in this war, offering immediate relief for families and a public signal of progress. Yet the tactic can also shape incentives for future hostilities, potentially incentivizing new captures as leverage. The timing, with talks in the Istanbul framework and a nearby high level summit in the region, suggests exchanges are as much about optics as they are about humane outcomes. The risk is that prisoner swaps become a lagging indicator of broader diplomacy, not a substitute for negotiated peace.

Highlights

The road home for many captives remains long, and diplomacy will be tested by future exchanges.