Russia has stopped the process of prisoner exchange – Zelensky
Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Photo: SARAH MEYSSONNIER/ EPA)

Russia has suspended the prisoner exchange process, as Moscow sees no benefit in it. This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a conversation with media representatives on January 29, the correspondent reports LIGA.net.

"The Russians have stopped the process. They are not very interested in exchanging people because they do not feel that it gives them anything" – the president said.

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Russia believes that prisoner exchanges are more important for Ukraine, Zelenskyy emphasized.

"They think it benefits us. But I think they should also think about their people, their military" – he emphasized.

  • The last exchange of prisoners was held on October 2 2025 – Ukraine returns 205 military and civilians from Russian captivity.
  • on October 23, in Ukraine was returned 1000 bodies of fallen defenders.
  • november 15, NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov announced the release of 1,200 Ukrainians from Russian captivity, and on November 19, Zelensky said that Ukraine hopes to have them released by the end of the year resume prisoner exchanges with Russia.
  • on December 11, President announced a major exchange which was supposed to take place before the New Year, but Russia slowed down the process.
  • on January 7, 2026, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was considering Turkey as a possible site for negotiations on exchanges prisoners of war.