A large-scale prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine is underway, involving hundreds of prisoners from each side. This swap, initiated on Friday, follows a meeting in Istanbul where the only significant agreement reached was the prisoner release. While welcomed by families, the exchange is considered a limited outcome of the high-profile Istanbul meeting, which failed to secure a ceasefire or direct talks between Zelensky and Putin. Previous prisoner swaps have occurred regularly since the beginning of the invasion, with Ukraine reporting over 4,700 citizens released since March 2022.

Prepared by Rachel Morgan and reviewed by editorial team.