On Friday, Donald Trump celebrated a high-profile prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine on Truth Social. 673 prisoners This exchange ultimately freed 390 prisoners Successful prisoner exchange The timing of that announcement, though, was a few days prior to the swap officially starting. This deeply anticipated exchange represented the largest of its kind in the still-ongoing conflict. In addition to this exchange, both countries worked out a much larger deal that includes the release of a total of 1,000 prisoners.
In his Truth social post, Trump took credit for brokering the swap. Support from Ukraine’s defense minister Rustem Umerov reaffirmed him and thanked Trump for his cooperation. The announcement sent shockwaves through the field. Since the negotiations had at times been moved to bomb shelters, the Ukrainian government had been careful to keep the process quiet for security reasons.
Reported by Ukrainian authorities on their Telegram account, the prison population exchange happened on the Belarus border and involved 270 soldiers and 120 civilians. More than half of the people released had been incarcerated for more than three years. As they returned, emotional family reunions and celebrations by supporters ignited.
According to another Ukrainian official, Trump was chomping at the bit to be the first to announce the news about the swap.
“[Trump] wanted to be the first to break the news about it. Fortunately, [Trump’s rushed post] did not have any effect. But we usually do not report on the ongoing exchanges, as you never know with Russians. Our boys were too close to the enemy.” – A Ukrainian official
The timing of Trump’s post was particularly suspicious because the exchange hadn’t even happened yet. The Ukrainian government had been able to keep the operation secret out of concern for the safety of participants. Despite this, Trump’s assertion of involvement was welcomed by some officials, who saw it as an opportunity to leverage diplomatic channels for future negotiations.
The emotional toll on families of those released was evident on Friday. Liubov Zabrodina, waiting for news of her loved one, remarked on the uncertainty faced by families with loved ones in Russian prisons:
“Almost six months of obscurity. We came here with the hope that at least someone might have seen him in Russian prisons.” – Liubov Zabrodina
The first wave of swapped prisoners came just as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict began to heat up again. Then, on the first night of this swap, Russia began an otherwise unprecedented military assault on Ukraine. Media accounts confirm that in this offensive alone, Russia sent forth 250 drones and 14 ballistic missiles. This unexpected escalation increases fears that the high-level talks may fail amid renewed hostilities.
Umerov welcomed the return of the prisoners to Ukraine. He further assured us that planning for a second day of exchanges was already in the works. Ukrainian officials are more than mildly encouraged at the thought of future negotiations. They know that more than 8,000 Ukrainians remain in Russian jails, hoping for their own shot at freedom.
Photo by David Levingston Emotions were high among those who received returning loved ones held in captivity. Tetiana expressed her overwhelming feelings upon seeing her family member after a long absence:
“I haven’t seen him since 2022, since Mariupol. I did not know; my friends told me. I can’t tackle my emotions. My heart is in my toes.” – Tetiana
Others shared experiences from their time in captivity, with Vitaly recalling the moment he realized he was finally free:
“They let us bathe for 20 minutes instead of the usual five. They gave us new clothes. But I still refused to believe until we landed in Gomel.” – Vitaly
Both sides are preparing for a continuation of contentious negotiations. The May 2013 prisoner swap, the first negotiated exchange between the two sides, is a significant milestone in this decades-old conflict. The exchanges illustrate the very human toll of this war as families are separated and lives are irrevocably changed.
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