Russia and Ukraine each release hundreds in large-scale prisoner swap

Euronews

25-05-2025

Ukraine and Russia exchanged hundreds of prisoners on Saturday in the second phase of a massive swap between the countries.
Both sides released 307 servicemen, a day after 390 combatants and civilians were freed in the first phase on Friday.
"Among those who returned today are soldiers from our army, the State Border Service, and the National Guard of Ukraine,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on his official Telegram channel.
The majority of Ukrainian soldiers released were taken captive in the Donetsk region, some as long ago as 2022, the Ukrainian leader said in an additional video address.
He added that others were captured in territories of the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Luhansk regions.
A total of 697 Ukrainians have returned home over the past two days, with a third prisoner swap expected to take place on Sunday, which would make it the largest swap in thiree years of conflict.
Kyiv and Moscow agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners from each side during the talks in Istanbul last week. It marks a rare moment of cooperation between the two nations, who have failed multipe times to reach on a ceasefire deal.
However, the swap did not halt the fighting. On Saturday, a large-scale Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv injured at least 15 people and damaged residential buildings and a shopping mall.
"Russia fills each day with horror and murder; it's simply dragging out the war," Zelenskyy said in the video address on Saturday.
""Ukraine is ready for any form of diplomacy that delivers real results. We are ready for all steps that can guarantee true security. It is Russia that is not ready for anything. Next week must be a time for action aimed at increasing pressure on Russia – in other words, aimed at securing peace."
Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar walked with a small group of supporters across the border to Romania and was met by supporters in the Romanian city of Oradea on Saturday morning.
The president of the Tisza Party left Budapest 10 days ago, and departed on his journey in an effort to win support from Hungarian communities in Romania and appeal to voters who traditionally vote conservative, as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán provides financial support to ethnic Hungarians in Romania.
"We are not going (to Romania) to escalate tensions or to cause any harm to our Hungarian brothers and sisters living there. We are going there to express our solidarity," Magyar had said before his departure.
He had announced the march, called the "one million steps for peace and national unity" initiative, in the wake of Orbán's communion with far-right, anti-Hungarian presidential candidate George Simion ahead of the Romanian presidential elections.
"It has become clear that the corrupt, tired and discredited Prime Minister sees Hungarians abroad as a political product. He tried and is trying to lure you to him not out of faith, not out of commitment, not out of love for his countrymen, but merely to win votes," Magyar said in a speech to hundreds of people in Oradea.
"And now, in order to retain power, he is trembling, using increasingly crude means, crossing all boundaries, doing whatever he can, regardless of the damage he is doing to the nation," he added.
The opposition leader recognised Hungarians "long for a country that loves each of its citizens, a country that does not stigmatise, that does not push into exclusion."
He warned that division, incitement and hatred lead to destruction.
"Orbán's destruction, hate-mongering and trench-digging are a thing of the past. The final countdown has begun," Magyar concluded.
The politician told Euronews that he had experienced positive feedback from supporters, but he was also met by counter-protesters who chanted Orbán's name, and shouted "Traitor!" and "Go home".
Magyar ended his speech by addressing the Romanian people.
He applauded them for the outcome of their election, and encouraged them to stay on the European path. The politician emphasised the importance of mutual respect between Romanians and the Hungarian community.