Russia and Ukraine have begun the largest prisoner exchange of the war, but mistrust and battlefield violence threaten its fragile momentum.
At a Glance
- On June 9, both countries exchanged young POWs under a deal brokered in Istanbul.
- Each side pledged to return at least 1,200 prisoners and repatriate thousands of bodies.
- Ukrainian and Russian officials traded accusations over implementation delays.
- Emotional scenes unfolded as returning POWs called families from the tarmac.
- The swap occurred amid the war’s largest drone strikes and continued front-line clashes.
A Fragile Humanitarian Breakthrough
On June 9, Russia and Ukraine executed what may be the largest prisoner swap of the war, exchanging young prisoners of war under 25 years old. The plan, hammered out during Istanbul negotiations on June 2, aims to trade at least 1,200 POWs each and return the remains of thousands of fallen soldiers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the exchange would take several days due to the medical condition of some detainees. Emotional footage showed Ukrainian soldiers tearfully phoning loved ones—one shouting, “Hi mum, I’ve arrived, I’m home!”
Accusations Cloud the Deal
Despite the goodwill gesture, implementation quickly became contentious. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov accused Ukraine of stalling and failing to collect 1,212 returned bodies. Russia also claimed Ukraine ignored a list of 640 eligible POWs, delaying the process. However, Kyiv dismissed these allegations as “dirty information games” and said some Russian lists included ineligible names.
Ukraine’s military intelligence maintained that further swaps would continue next week and reaffirmed that both sides were working according to the Istanbul agreement, particularly for severely wounded soldiers.
War Still Rages On
The exchange came as Russia unleashed its largest drone strike of the war, claiming territorial gains in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Ukraine denied the advance and reported ongoing clashes in Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk. These parallel escalations show that, while humanitarian corridors may open, peace negotiations remain absent.
This unprecedented POW deal offers a rare glimmer of cooperation amid relentless hostilities. But unless it leads to further diplomatic progress, analysts warn it may stand as a symbolic gesture, not a strategic turning point.
