STORY: Russia and Ukraine have carried out a prisoner of war exchange with mediation from the United Arab Emirates, with each side swapping 175 more detainees on Saturday (April 11), the Russian Defence Ministry said.

According to the ministry, the released servicemen were transferred to Belarus, where they were getting the necessary psychological and medical treatment.

Russia also returned seven civilians originally from the Kursk region, the ministry said.

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STORY: Ukraine has brought home 175 servicemen and seven civilians from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday (April 11).

He said the Ukrainian servicemen had defended the country on different fronts from the east to the south and most of them had been in captivity in Russia since 2022.

During more than four years of war, Kyiv and Moscow have carried out regular POW exchanges. They are among the few concrete results to emerge from several rounds of U.S.-brokered peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, which remain stalled over the issue of territory.

As both Ukraine and Russia celebrate Orthodox Easter this weekend, the countries have agreed on a short, 32-hour ceasefire to mark the holiday.

Russia said the ceasefire would begin at 4 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Saturday (April 11) and end at midnight on Sunday (April 12).

Zelenskiy said he and his army chief had discussed the procedures for Ukrainian troops under the ceasefire.

"The absence of Russian strikes in the air, on land, and at sea will mean no response from our side," he said.

"A ceasefire at Easter could also become the beginning of real movement toward peace – our side has made the corresponding proposal."

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION, BELARUS (APRIL 11, 2026) (RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY - Do not obscure logo)

1. VARIOUS OF SERVICEMEN CARRYING RUSSIAN FLAGS EXITING BUILDING

2. SERVICEMEN GETTING ON BUS

3. SERVICEMEN INSIDE BUS WAVING RUSSIAN FLAGS AND YELLING 'HURRAY! THANK YOU! WE'RE GOING HOME!'

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SHOWS: UNKNOWN LOCATION (APRIL 11, 2026) (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE - Access all)

1. BUS WITH RELEASED UKRAINIAN PRISONERS OF WAR

2. VARIOUS OF POWS EXITING BUS (SCREAMING “GLORY TO UKRAINE, GLORY TO HEROES”)

3. RELEASED PRISONER WRAPPED IN UKRAINIAN FLAG CRYING

4. PRIEST TALKING TO RELEASED PRISONER

5. RELEASED PRISONER SMILING AND SAYING (Ukrainian): “I’m home, I’m finally home.”

6. RELEASED PRISONER TALKING ON MOBILE AND SAYING (Russian): “I lost some weight, but otherwise I'm fine.”

7. VARIOUS OF RELEASED PRISONERS TALKING ON MOBILE

8. RELEASED PRISONER SMILING

9. RELEASED PRISONERS EATING APPLES AND SMILING

10. RELEASED PRISONERS STANDING AND SCREAMING “GLORY TO HEROES”

11. PRIEST RECITING PRAYER AND SPRINKLING RELEASED PRISONERS WITH WATER

12. VARIOUS OF RELEASED PRISONERS STANDING