Kremlin hopes for 1000 for 1000 prisoner swap to progress swiftly, Putin's spokesman says

May 22, 2025 - 21:02

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated that all parties are committed to expediting a prisoner-of-war (POW) exchange between Russia and Ukraine in the 1000-for-1000 format.

Source: Peskov in a comment to Russian media

Quote: "This process is quite complex. It involves work on individual names. Given the scale of the 1000-for-1000 exchange, it will take some time. This work is progressing swiftly."

Background

Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), expressed confidence that a prisoner exchange of 1,000 for 1,000 with Russia will occur next week.
On 16 May, Vadym Skibitskyi, Deputy Head of DIU, said that Ukraine had begun reviewing the lists of POWs who are to be brought back to Ukraine as part of a prisoner swap with Russia in the 1,000-for-1,000 format.
On 16 May 2025, the delegations of Ukraine and Russia reached an agreement in Istanbul on the simultaneous release and exchange of 1,000 POWs on each side.
On 17 May, the Security Service of Ukraine began preparations for the implementation of the agreement on the exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine in the 1000-for-1000 format.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!