Russia, Ukraine Exchange Hundreds of POWs Amid Skepticism Over Truce

Russia and Ukraine completed a prisoner exchange of 175 prisoners of war from each side on Saturday. The United Arab Emirates mediated the exchange.

The prisoner exchange occurred ahead of a temporary ceasefire set to take effect for Orthodox Easter. Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a 32-hour halt to hostilities through the end of Sunday. The Kremlin stated it ordered a truce from 4:00pm Saturday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv was ready to reciprocate the pause. Zelensky has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in the four-year war.

Ukrainians expressed wariness regarding Russia’s pledge to pause fighting. Yevgeniy Lamakh, a 29-year-old IT specialist in central Kyiv, said, “No one believes in these fairy tales any more.” Lamakh added, "The Russian military lie a lot, usually, as history shows. And in general, they say one thing, but in fact do something completely different.”

Previous ceasefire attempts have failed. Both sides have accused each other of violations. Russian drone strikes killed at least two people in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa overnight.

While the prisoner exchange offers a moment of hope, the overnight strikes in Odesa highlight the fragility of the proposed ceasefire and the deep-seated distrust between the warring parties as the four-year conflict grinds on.