Following the successful return of 182 Ukrainians on April 11, the Ukrainian government is actively preparing for another prisoner exchange, which is expected to take place by the end of next week. The upcoming swap aims to bring more captured defenders and civilians back home, despite the ongoing bureaucratic hurdles created by the Russian Federation.
Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR), addressed the media on Sunday, April 12, providing crucial updates on the sensitive negotiation process. According to Budanov, the full exchange could not be completed in a single phase earlier strictly due to technical and administrative complications that arose on the Russian side during the preparatory stages.
Understanding the deep cultural and psychological significance of the upcoming Easter holidays, Ukrainian negotiators made a strategic and compassionate decision. They resolved not to delay the initial stage of the swap, refusing to wait for Moscow to finalize its paperwork. The primary humanitarian goal was to ensure that at least a portion of the liberated soldiers and citizens could reunite with their families in time to celebrate the festivities in a safe and supportive environment.
“The opposing side did not quite manage to prepare everything in time, but waiting was simply not an option for us. We wanted to ensure that these 182 individuals could celebrate the holiday at home, on free soil,” the intelligence chief emphasized during his briefing. He further clarified that these delays do not indicate a breakdown in negotiations, but rather stem from Moscow’s notoriously slow internal bureaucratic procedures.
“I hope that by the end of the week, there will be another stage of the exchange. The remaining issues are purely procedural,” Budanov added, expressing cautious optimism about the near future of the exchange initiatives.
The April 11 exchange marked a profound moment of relief and joy for the entire nation. Among the 182 Ukrainians who finally returned to their homeland, 175 were military personnel who bravely defended the country against the invasion, and seven were civilians unjustly detained by Russian occupying forces. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) subsequently released deeply emotional video footage capturing the first moments of the captives stepping onto free Ukrainian soil, highlighting the profound human impact of these complex rescue operations.
As the war continues to rage on multiple fronts, the release of prisoners of war remains one of Kyiv’s absolute priorities. The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War continues its relentless, round-the-clock efforts to identify, locate, and return every single Ukrainian held in Russian captivity, reiterating the government’s steadfast commitment that no citizen will be left behind.