**Ukraine and Russia Set to Conduct Prisoner Swap on April 19**
In a significant development, Ukraine and Russia are planning to conduct an exchange of prisoners of war (POWs) on April 19. According to a source cited by Sky News, the swap will involve 246 POWs from each side, as well as 46 injured soldiers. The United Arab Emirates is set to mediate the prisoner exchange.
This move comes after numerous previous swaps between the two countries since Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine began in 2022. In fact, Russia and Ukraine have conducted a total of 62 prisoner exchanges throughout the conflict. The most recent POW exchange took place on March 19, with 175 Ukrainians being brought back home.
**Ukraine Has Returned Thousands of Captives**
Since the start of Russia’s war in 2022, Ukraine has returned over 4,300 people from Russian captivity, including soldiers and civilians. However, the exact number of Ukrainian POWs held by Russia remains unclear. According to Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, Russia is holding more than 16,000 Ukrainian civilians.
**Russia Has Not Agreed to Ukraine’s Proposal**
Despite efforts to negotiate an all-for-all prisoner exchange, which was first proposed by Ukraine in 2024, Russia has not agreed to the proposal. The upcoming swap on April 19 will reportedly involve a significant number of POWs and injured soldiers from both sides.
**International Community Watches Closely**
The international community is closely following developments in Ukraine-Russia relations. U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed hope that the prisoner exchange would be successful, while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that there are still many complicated discussions ahead.
**Other Developments**
In other news, Moscow’s forces launched a series of missile and drone attacks on Ukraine overnight, including an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 37 attack and decoy drones. The Air Force reported that the strikes were carried out against various sectors of the front.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian airline SkyUp Airlines has made its first regular flight since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, flying from Chisinau to Paris on April 18.
**Analysis**
The prisoner swap is a significant step towards resolving some of the humanitarian consequences of the ongoing conflict. However, it remains unclear whether this development will lead to broader negotiations and an eventual resolution to the war in Ukraine.
