Trending 
Russia and Ukraine have exchanged 185 prisoners of war, officials from both sides confirmed on Friday, marking one of the few areas of cooperation in the ongoing conflict.
The swap continues a series of exchanges that have involved thousands of captured soldiers since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“On June 5, 185 Russian service members were returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime. In exchange, 185 Ukrainian prisoners of war were handed over,” Russia’s defence ministry said.
The move comes a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to engage in talks aimed at ending the four-year conflict.
President Zelensky highlighted that some of the released Ukrainian soldiers had been in captivity since the beginning of the war.
“The return of our people is a constant priority for Ukraine. Every day, we are working to free every Ukrainian man and woman from captivity,” he said in a social media post.
Images shared by Ukrainian officials showed shaven-headed soldiers draped in Ukrainian flags embracing one another, illustrating the emotional impact of the return. The exchange, while limited, demonstrates that even amid persistent hostilities, negotiations on humanitarian matters remain possible.
Both governments have previously conducted multiple swaps, and officials on both sides stress that such exchanges remain a critical aspect of managing the human costs of the war.
Analysts note that these returns could also pave the way for broader diplomatic engagements if trust can be gradually rebuilt.
