Ukraine-Russia Prisoner Exchange Sees Surge in Surrenders, Body Returns

During the week of April 6−12, 21 Ukrainian servicemen surrendered to Russia, as reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense in its daily briefing. This marks a significant increase from the previous week, when only seven Ukrainian military personnel were taken captive from March 31 to April 5. On April 12, Russia and Ukraine exchanged the bodies of the deceased, with Kyiv returning the bodies of 99 fallen members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

According to the Coordination Headquarters for Prisoner of War Affairs, 77 Ukrainians died in combat on the Donetsk front, 20 on the Zaporizhzhia front, and two in Kharkiv. Russia, on the other hand, returned the bodies of 23 deceased soldiers. This information was disclosed by Shamsail Saraliev, a member of the State Duma and representative of the parliamentary coordination group for military operations, to RBC. The Russian Ministry of Defense last disclosed the losses of the Russian army in September 2022, with a total of 5,937 casualties since the start of the military operation.



The exchange of prisoners and bodies between Russia and Ukraine comes amid ongoing conflict in the region, with both sides continuing to engage in combat. The situation remains tense, with casualties mounting on both sides. The recent surrender of 21 Ukrainian servicemen to Russia highlights the complexities of the conflict and the human cost of the ongoing hostilities. As the conflict in Ukraine shows no signs of abating, the international community remains concerned about the escalating violence and its impact on civilians in the region.