Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Sunday that Ukraine and Russia are preparing for a major prisoner-of-war (POW) exchange involving 1,200 individuals, following negotiations held in Istanbul on July 23.

In a statement on Telegram, Zelensky said the exchange will include both soldiers and civilians, with lists now being finalized. The president’s announcement came after a meeting with Ukraine’s lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, to prepare for another round of discussions with Russian representatives. No specific date for the exchange has yet been announced.

The 1,200-person figure was initially mentioned by Russian negotiators during the Istanbul talks, though Ukraine had not previously confirmed the number.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has secured the release of 5,857 people from Russian captivity, with an additional 555 freed outside formal exchange arrangements. The most recent exchange in July completed the first phase of a late-June agreement to swap 1,200 prisoners on each side.

The exact number of prisoners held by either country remains unknown and continues to fluctuate due to ongoing exchanges. While such swaps have become a rare point of agreement, broader peace efforts remain stalled.

Kyiv has repeatedly called for an unconditional ceasefire, while Moscow has offered only temporary truces to recover fallen and wounded soldiers. Russia has also insisted on a halt to Western arms deliveries to Ukraine as a precondition for more extensive ceasefire negotiations. (ILKHA)