182 Ukrainians Return Home in Pre-Easter Prisoner Swap With Russia

April 13 ------ Ukraine successfully conducted its 72nd prisoner exchange, bringing home 182 citizens from Russian captivity just ahead of the Orthodox Easter holiday. The swap resulted in the release of 175 military personnel and seven civilians, according to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the return of the defenders in a social media post, noting that the group includes warriors from the Armed Forces, National Guard, and Border Guard Service. “Most of them had been in captivity since 2022,” Zelensky stated. “Finally, they are home. It is a matter of principle for us to return everyone from Russian captivity.”

A major highlight of this exchange was the return of 25 officers, a group the Russian side had previously categorically refused to include in negotiations. More than half of the freed defenders were captured during the siege of Mariupol, while several National Guard members taken prisoner during the occupation of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) in the early days of the invasion were also released.

The president expressed gratitude to the Ukrainian units on the front lines for their role in the operation. “I thank every unit that replenishes our exchange pool and thereby brings closer the return of our people,” Zelensky wrote. The seven civilians released today had also been held by Russian occupying forces since 2022. All returnees, who range in age from 22 to 63, will now undergo comprehensive medical examinations and psychological rehabilitation following their prolonged isolation.

The Coordination Headquarters expressed gratitude to the United States and the United Arab Emirates for their essential mediation. The successful pre-Easter swap offers a rare moment of humanitarian progress, following a night of massive drone strikes and ongoing uncertainty over the durability of the holiday ceasefire.

This latest release follows a series of successful exchanges in early 2026. In March, a major two-stage swap mediated by the US saw 500 Ukrainians return home. Earlier, in February, another 157 personnel were recovered. The major logistical operation to receive the returnees includes immediate medical attention, as many of those released are reported to be wounded.

The exchange comes as a “holiday gift” for many families during the Orthodox Easter period, reflecting Zelensky’s earlier hope that the holiday would serve as a time for “silence and security.” While the front line remains volatile, the continued success of prisoner swaps offers a rare diplomatic breakthrough amid the broader regional instability. Prisoner swaps have been one of the few areas of continued cooperation between Kyiv and Moscow since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.

Source: kyivpost.com