Ukraine and Russia exchange prisoners ahead of Orthodox Easter ceasefire

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Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners Saturday just hours before a temporary ceasefire was set to take effect for Orthodox Easter, officials from both nations said.

The warring sides exchanged 175 prisoners of war each in a mediation carried out by the United Arab Emirates. The exchange also came just after both nations fired waves of drones at each other overnight.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched at least 160 drones at Ukraine, killing four people and wounding dozens more in the country’s east and south, with the Odesa region being among the hardest hit.

Some two people were wounded in the attack on the Black Sea port city when drones hit a residential area, damaging apartment buildings, houses and a kindergarten, Ukrainian authorities said.

In Russia, the Defense Ministry reported 99 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight across Russia and occupied Crimea.

On Thursday Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a 32-hour ceasefire over the Orthodox Easter weekend, ordering Russian forces to halt hostilities from 4 p.m. Saturday until the end of Sunday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday described Putin’s move as a “humanitarian” gesture but said Moscow remains focused on a comprehensive settlement based on its longstanding demands—a key sticking point that has prevented the two sides from reaching an agreement.

On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised to abide by the ceasefire, describing it as an opportunity to build on peace initiatives. But Zelenskyy warned there would be a swift military response to any violations.

“Easter should be a time of silence and safety. A ceasefire (at) Easter could also become the beginning of real movement toward peace,” Zelenskyy wrote in an online post on Saturday.

But he added: “We all understand who we are dealing with. Ukraine will adhere to the ceasefire and respond strictly in kind.”

A similar ceasefire was ordered by Putin last year during Orthodox Easter, but both sides reported multiple violations.