Russia and Ukraine conducted one of the war’s largest prisoner swaps on Wednesday, with each side releasing 175 captives, marking a significant exchange amid the ongoing conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the return of soldiers, sergeants, and officers from the Armed Forces, Navy, National Guard, Territorial Defence Forces, and Border Guard Service, including severely wounded fighters and those Russia had prosecuted on fabricated charges. “We are bringing back warriors who fought for our freedom,” Zelenskyy said on X.

Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed the swap and added that it released 22 additional severely wounded Ukrainian prisoners as a “goodwill gesture,” though this fell short of the 23 promised by President Vladimir Putin during a Tuesday call with U.S. President Donald Trump about a potential partial ceasefire. Zelenskyy noted these 22 were secured through separate negotiations, with no explanation yet for the discrepancy.

The freed Ukrainians had been captured across key battlegrounds, including Mariupol’s Azovstal steel plant, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kursk. All returnees will receive immediate medical and psychological support, Zelenskyy pledged, thanking the Ukrainian team and international partners, especially the United Arab Emirates, for facilitating the exchange.

While prisoner swaps have occurred throughout the three-year war, Wednesday’s exchange—planned before the Trump-Putin call—underscored ongoing efforts to recover captives. “Ukraine remembers each of its heroes, and we will bring everyone home,” Zelenskyy vowed, highlighting the nation’s commitment to its fighters.