Russia and Ukraine conducted a large-scale prisoner swap on Sunday, exchanging over 300 soldiers, marking the third and final part of the biggest total exchange of the war so far. This rare cooperation occurred just hours after Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine, killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens. The exchange follows earlier talks in Istanbul where both sides agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners.
Russia, Ukraine swap hundreds of prisoners hours after Moscow launches massive aerial assault
RussiaUkraineDonald TrumpConflictsPutinEuropeVolodymyr-zelenskyy
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Russia and Ukraine conducted a large-scale prisoner swap on Sunday, exchanging over 300 soldiers, marking the third and final part of the biggest total exchange of the war so far. This rare cooperation occurred just hours after Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine, killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens. The exchange follows earlier talks in Istanbul where both sides agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners.
Trending- 1 Earlier this month: Talks held in Istanbul, agreement to swap 1,000 prisoners.
- 2 Friday (implied May 24, 2025): 390 combatants and civilians exchanged.
- 3 Saturday (implied May 25, 2025): 307 combatants and civilians exchanged.
- 4 Saturday (implied May 25, 2025): President Donald Trump commented on Russia's strike.
- 5 Sunday (implied May 26, 2025): Russia launched massive drone-and-missile attack on Ukraine.
- 6 Sunday (implied May 26, 2025): Russia and Ukraine swapped over 300 soldiers (third and final part of exchange).
- 7 2025-05-26: Article published.
- Release of hundreds of prisoners of war and civilian detainees.
- Continued casualties and destruction in Ukraine due to aerial assaults.
- Increased international tension and condemnation of Russia's actions.
What: Russia and Ukraine conducted a prisoner swap, exchanging over 300 soldiers, which was the third and final part of a major exchange agreed upon in earlier talks. This happened hours after Russia launched a massive aerial assault on Ukraine, causing casualties.
When: The prisoner swap and aerial assault occurred on Sunday (implied May 26, 2025). The article was published on May 26, 2025. The war has been ongoing for more than three years. Talks were held earlier this month in Istanbul.
Where: Ukraine (Kyiv, Kharkiv), Russia, Istanbul (for talks), Morristown Municipal Airport in New Jersey, United States (for Trump's comments).
Why: The prisoner swap is a result of an agreement reached in peace talks in Istanbul, representing a rare moment of cooperation despite ongoing hostilities. The aerial assault is part of the continuing conflict, with Russia targeting Ukrainian cities.
How: The exchange involved both sides releasing soldiers. The aerial assault involved Russia using 69 missiles and 298 drones targeting Ukrainian cities, while Ukraine's air defenses shot down 110 Russian drones. Political leaders like Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the events.