Orthodox Easter, Ukraine Returns 130 Troops In Prisoner Swap With Russia

The release of Ukrainian soldiers during Orthodox Easter. (Source: Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War)

JAKARTA - One hundred and thirty Ukrainian prisoners of war have been released and returned home in a "large exchange of Easter", a senior Ukrainian presidential official said on Sunday along with Orthodox Easter.

Ukrainian and Russian troops have held regular exchanges of prisoners during the Moscow invasion, which is now entering its 14th month. Russia holds plots of territory in eastern and southern Ukraine.

"We have repatriated 130 of our people. Those (exchanges) have been going on in several stages over the past few days," said Presidential chief of staff Volodymyr Zelensky, Andriy Yermak on the Telegram messaging app.

Meanwhile, it is unclear how many Russians were sent back in this prisoner swap.

Furthermore, Yermak said those returning included the military, border guards, members of national guards, sailors and employees of state border guards.

The big Easter POW swap. It took place during the last days in several stages. 130 Ukrainians are coming back. Easter.Hope is the quintessence of the holiday. This is exactly what the prisoners' relatives felt having waited for so long. pic.twitter.com/YCQwv0lVfe

— Andriy Yermak (@AndriyYermak) April 16, 2023

Separately, the founder of the Wagner Group mercenaries group Yevgeny Prigozhin said his party had sent at least 100 prisoners of war back to Ukrainian forces to commemorate Orthodox Easter.

"Prepare everything, feed and drink, check the injured," said Prigozhin in a video uploaded on Telegram by his press service.

A group of Ukrainian detainees was later shown to be told they would be handed back to Ukrainian troops to mark the Orthodox Easter.

"I hope you don't fall back into our hands," an armed Wagner soldier told those people before they were ordered into the truck, several packs filled with water bottles.

The exchange is the second major prisoner swap in a week. On Monday last week, Russia and Ukraine said they exchanged massive prisoners, with 106 Russian prisoners of war released in exchange for 100 Ukrainians.

Earlier, Ukraine said on Friday it had also taken the bodies of 82 soldiers from Russian-controlled territory.