Russia, Ukraine swap 350 POWs ahead of Easter ceasefire

April 12, 2026

TL;DR

Russia and Ukraine swapped 350 prisoners of war, with 175 from each side.
Seven civilians from Kursk Region were also released.
The exchange happened just before a temporary Orthodox Easter ceasefire announced by Russia.
Russian servicemen are receiving medical and psychological assistance in Belarus.
Previous POW exchanges and body swaps have occurred regularly since May 2025.
The previous exchange on April 3 involved 600 captives.
Russia ordered a halt to operations from 16:00 Moscow time on Saturday until the end of Sunday.
Ukraine's President Zelensky pledged to observe a ceasefire regime.
Peace talks have stalled due to the US-Israeli war on Iran, but humanitarian channels remain open.

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