Ukraine and Russia swap 270 prisoners each in first exchange in two months

Exchange includes Azov regiment members and survivors of Olenivka prison attack

By LineZotpaper

Published23 October 2026

Read Time3 min

Ukraine and Russia carried out a prisoner swap on October 23, the first exchange in two months, with 270 Ukrainian service members returning home and an equal number of Russian prisoners returned to Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced. Most of the Ukrainians freed had been captured during the Siege of Mariupol in spring 2022, including members of the Azov regiment, Ground Forces, Navy, and Air Assault Forces. Five of those released had survived the 2022 Olenivka prison massacre, in which a thermobaric munition was detonated inside a barracks housing Ukrainian prisoners of war. In addition, several civilians were also brought back from Russia, though accounts of the exact number varied.

Ukraine and Russia exchanged prisoners of war on October 23, with 270 Ukrainian service members returning home, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced. The exchange, the first in two months, also saw 270 Russian prisoners of war returned to Russia from Ukrainian captivity.

According to Zelensky, most of the Ukrainians returning home had been captured during the Siege of Mariupol in spring 2022. They included service members from the Ground Forces, Navy, and Air Assault Forces, as well as border guards and fighters from the Azov regiment, which led the city's defense.

Five of the released POWs survived the Olenivka prison massacre in July 2022, when a thermobaric munition was detonated inside a prison barracks housing Ukrainian prisoners of war. A social media post from President Zelensky was later edited to clarify that those who returned were survivors of the attack, having previously reported that five people believed killed in the massacre had returned.

According to Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, a "significant portion" of the released prisoners had been found guilty on sham criminal charges while in Russian captivity.

Seven Ukrainian civilians were also brought back from Russia with the help of Ukrainian authorities on October 23, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said in a Facebook post. Lubinets added that another seven civilians had traveled to Russia as part of family reunification efforts supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross. In total, Zelensky and the Coordination Headquarters said that nine civilians had been released.

While intermittent U.S.-mediated peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have failed to secure even a partial ceasefire, prisoner exchanges remain one of the few channels of regular cooperation between Moscow and Kyiv. The latest swap was the 11th reported prisoner exchange of 2026. The previous two exchanges took place in August.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The exchange demonstrates that cooperation between Russia and Ukraine remains possible even amid a full-scale war, offering a rare sign of progress on humanitarian issues.
The return of surviving Olenivka prisoners could bring new testimony about one of the conflict's worst atrocities, potentially influencing international legal proceedings.
Family reunification efforts backed by the International Committee of the Red Cross provide a lifeline for civilians separated by the war, though numbers remain small.

Background

Prisoner swaps have occurred periodically throughout the three-year war, with previous exchanges involving hundreds of prisoners on both sides. The Olenivka prison attack in July 2022 left dozens of Ukrainian POWs dead, and survivors' accounts have been hotly debated. The exchange is the first in two months, with the previous two swaps reported in August 2026.

Key Perspectives

[Ukrainian government]: President Zelensky presents the exchange as a success, highlighting the return of Mariupol defenders and survivors of the Olenivka attack. Ukrainian officials stress that many returnees faced sham convictions while in Russian custody. [Russian government]: No direct comment from Russian officials is cited in available reports, but the willingness to proceed with the exchange suggests a mutual interest in maintaining this diplomatic channel. [Civilians and families]: Separate family reunification efforts are underway, with civilians crossing in both directions. However, the released civilian numbers reported by Ukrainian officials vary, indicating confusion or evolving accounting.

What to Watch

Whether the exchange signals renewed momentum for further swaps or remains an isolated event amid stalled peace talks.
Any public testimonies from the five Olenivka survivors that could shed new light on the 2022 attack.
Future U.S. or international mediation efforts to widen humanitarian cooperation and secure additional releases of prisoners and civilians.

Sources

270 Ukrainian POWs return home in latest swap with Russia · Kyiv Independent

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedUkraine and Russia exchanged prisoners on October 23, with 270 Ukrainian service members returning home.Kyiv Independent: “Ukraine and Russia exchanged prisoners of war on Oct. 23, with 270 Ukrainian service members returning home, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced .”
SupportedThe exchange returned 270 Russian prisoners to Russia.Kyiv Independent: “The exchange, the first in two months, also saw 270 Russian prisoners of war returned to Russia from Ukrainian captivity.”
SupportedIt was the first prisoner exchange in two months.Kyiv Independent: “The exchange, the first in two months, also saw 270 Russian prisoners of war returned to Russia from Ukrainian captivity.”
Partly supportedMost Ukrainians freed had been captured during the Siege of Mariupol in spring 2022.Kyiv Independent: “According to Zelensky, most of the Ukrainians returning home had been captured during the Siege of Mariupol in spring 2022.”
SupportedThe released Ukrainians included members of the Azov regiment.Kyiv Independent: “They included service members from the Ground Forces, Navy, and Air Assault Forces, as well as border guards and fighters from the Azov regiment, which led the city's defense.”
SupportedFive released POWs had survived the Olenivka prison massacre.Kyiv Independent: “Five of the released POWs survived the Olenivka prison massacre in July 2022, when a thermobaric munition was detonated inside a prison barracks housing Ukrainian prisoners of war.”
SupportedA thermobaric munition was detonated inside a barracks housing Ukrainian prisoners of war at Olenivka.Kyiv Independent: “Five of the released POWs survived the Olenivka prison massacre in July 2022, when a thermobaric munition was detonated inside a prison barracks housing Ukrainian prisoners of war.”
SupportedZelensky’s social media post was edited to clarify that the returned people were survivors, after it had said five people believed killed in the massacre had returned.Kyiv Independent: “The story initially reported that five people previously believed to have been killed in the 2022 Olenivka prison massacre had returned to Ukraine. However, President Volodymyr Zelensky's social media post was later edited to clarify that those who returned were survivors of the terrorist attack.”
SupportedThe Coordination Headquarters said a “significant portion” of released prisoners had been found guilty on sham criminal charges in Russian captivity.Kyiv Independent: “According to Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, a "significant portion" of the released prisoners had been found guilty on sham criminal charges while in Russian captivity.”
Partly supportedSeven Ukrainian civilians were brought back from Russia, though accounts of the exact number varied.Kyiv Independent: “Seven Ukrainian civilians were also brought back from Russia with the help of Ukrainian authorities on Oct. 23, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said in a Facebook post.”
SupportedAnother seven civilians traveled to Russia as part of family reunification efforts supported by the ICRC.Kyiv Independent: “Lubinets added that another seven civilians had traveled to Russia as part of family reunification efforts supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).”
SupportedZelensky and the Coordination Headquarters said nine civilians had been released.Kyiv Independent: “Zelensky, as well as the Coordination Headquarters later said that nine civilians had been released.”