Easter truce falters as Ukraine and Russia swap 175 prisoners

Ukraine and Russia on Saturday accused each other of violating a 32-hour Easter truce, hours into the ceasefire intended to mark Orthodox Easter. Across border regions, authorities reported drone activity and attacks that cast doubt on any quick end to hostilities. The day’s exchanges set the tone for a fragile pause in a war that has raged for years.

According to the Ukrainian general staff, the ceasefire was violated through assault actions, shelling and drone strikes. By the end of the day, Kyiv’s forces tallied 469 ceasefire violations, including 22 enemy assault actions, 153 shelling episodes, 19 strikes by attack drones and 275 strikes by FPV drones. Ukrainian forces said the day featured 57 airstrikes, 182 guided aerial bombs and thousands of drones launched, alongside 2,454 shelling attacks on populated areas and troop positions.

In the Kursk region—bordering Ukraine—governor Alexander Khinshtein accused Kyiv of breaking the truce by attacking a gas station in the town of Lgov with a drone, injuring three people, including a baby. Despite the clashes, the two sides carried out a prisoner exchange, with both sides saying 175 servicemen were released and returned home.

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 175 servicemen and seven civilians were freed, with 163 of those freed having been held since 2022. Russia’s defence ministry said the United Arab Emirates mediated the exchange, and noted that 175 Russian servicemen and seven civilians from the Kursk region were among those returned. Reports also indicated that Vladimir Putin attended services as the exchange took place.

Ukrainian defence intelligence described the swap as a “real success” and a meaningful humanitarian gesture amid the continuing conflict, underscoring how fragile the pause remains and how quickly days of truce can be upended by ongoing fighting.

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