In a significant act, Russia and Ukraine exchange hundreds of prisoners as drone assaults intensify against Ukraine.
As tensions escalate in 2025, Russia and Ukraine have conducted another large-scale prisoner exchange, coinciding with intensified drone assaults aimed at Kyiv. Ukrainian officials have reiterated their calls for more stringent sanctions following these aggressive actions.
This past Saturday, Russia’s Ministry of Defence announced the release of 307 Ukrainian prisoners in a swap for an equal number of Russian servicemen, who are temporarily housed in Belarus before returning to their homeland.
Ukraine confirmed this exchange, noting that those freed included soldiers, border guard personnel, and National Guard members. The swap—taking place on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border—marks the largest of its kind since the onset of the conflict in 2022.
Both nations have committed to exchanging a total of 1,000 prisoners, yet hostilities continue unabated.
On Saturday, Ukraine’s military reported that overnight drone and missile strikes from various Russian regions resulted in severe damage in Kyiv and surrounding areas, with residential buildings and a shopping mall being targeted. At least 15 people sustained injuries in the capital.
Additional sites in Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and Zaporizhia faced attacks too, while Ukrainian defenses successfully intercepted six ballistic missiles and 245 drones, many believed to be of Iranian design.
Oleh Syniehubov, the head of the Kharkiv regional administration, reported that four Ukrainians lost their lives and several others were injured from continued assaults over the past day.
In response, Russia claimed that around 100 Ukrainian drones targeted Russian positions overnight, with 64 of those drones successfully intercepted in the Belgorod region, along with additional drone interceptions occurring in Kursk, Lipetsk, Voronezh, and Tver—northwest of Moscow.
A “Difficult Night”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the night as particularly challenging and asserted that the ongoing war is largely a result of Moscow’s actions. He emphasized the necessity for increased global pressure on Russia to foster meaningful diplomatic efforts.
Zelenskyy indicated that Ukraine is anticipating new sanctions from the US, Europe, and allies worldwide, stressing that these measures against critical sectors of the Russian economy are essential for a ceasefire.
The G7 nations have warned of impending sanctions against Russia should it fail to engage in ceasefire discussions with Ukraine.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha noted that a recent meeting in Istanbul resulted only in the prisoner exchange agreement, with no peace memorandum issued by Moscow. He pointed out that instead of pursuing peace, Russia continues its missile and drone strikes on civilian targets.
Reporting from Kyiv, Al Jazeera’s John Hendren stated that the Istanbul meeting was a disappointment for Zelenskyy, who had hoped for direct negotiations with President Vladimir Putin. Yet, the prisoner swap remains a significant outcome, although the specifics of future exchanges remain uncertain. Concerns linger that the maneuvers may not exert sufficient pressure on Putin to engage in meaningful talks.