Russia and Ukraine conducted a prisoner exchange on Saturday, each side releasing 175 servicemen as part of a brief ceasefire to mark Orthodox Easter. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine had repatriated 175 military personnel and seven civilians from Russian captivity, while Russia’s Defense Ministry said it received 175 servicemen and seven civilians originally from the Kursk region. The United Arab Emirates mediated the swap.

The exchange occurred amid a 32-hour ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin, intended to take effect from 4 p.m. Moscow time on Saturday until midnight Sunday. Zelensky had agreed to the truce, emphasizing a willingness to observe the pause in fighting as a step toward peace, although previous ceasefire proposals had been rejected by Moscow.

Despite the ceasefire agreement, both countries accused each other of violations during the period. Ukraine’s military reported nearly 470 ceasefire breaches, including shelling, drone attacks, and assault actions. Ukrainian forces identified 22 assault actions, 153 shelling attacks, 19 attack drone strikes, and 275 attacks by first-person-view drones. The Ukrainian General Staff said Russian forces launched more than 1,700 drone strikes and hundreds of artillery attacks over the weekend.

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported nearly 1,971 ceasefire violations by Ukrainian forces, including shelling and drone attacks. Authorities in the Russian border regions of Kursk and Belgorod said Ukrainian drone strikes had caused civilian casualties. Kursk Governor Alexander Khinshtein reported a drone attack on a gas station in the town of Lgov, injuring three people, including a child. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov stated that two civilians were killed by Ukrainian shelling in the region. Conversely, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said two civilians were wounded by a Russian drone attack in the Kharkiv region.

The Easter ceasefire marked one of the few moments of cooperation between the warring sides in the more than four years of conflict, which has encompassed regular prisoner exchanges even as peace talks have stalled. Observers note that while Easter truce agreements have occurred previously, they have been fragile and subject to violations from both sides.

The prisoner swap drew emotional reunions in Ukraine, with returning servicemen greeted by relatives and supporters in several cities. Many returning soldiers displayed visible signs of hardship endured during captivity. Officials highlighted that most of the released prisoners had been held since 2022, underlining the significance of the exchange amid ongoing hostilities.

While the truce was welcomed by some civilians as a hopeful respite, skepticism remained about its durability. Residents near the frontlines, such as those in Kharkiv, expressed cautious optimism but acknowledged the historic pattern of ceasefire breaches. Zelensky called for a longer ceasefire, stating that a sustained pause could signal a real advance toward peace, but warned that Ukraine would respond firmly to any violations.

The Easter ceasefire occurred in the context of a wider geopolitical landscape, as U.S.-brokered negotiations between Russia and Ukraine remain stalled partly due to the war in the Middle East. Despite these challenges, the prisoner exchange represented a rare constructive development amid ongoing violence and diplomatic deadlock.