Ukraine and Russia swap 205 prisoners of war each

EuroNews · 🇫🇷 public France · May 15, 2026 · 435 words · By Nathan Rennolds

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What to know about Ukraine and Russia swap 205 prisoners of war each

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Telegram most of the Ukrainians handed over had been in Russian captivity since 2022.

Claims checked 15

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center75%

Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Telegram most of the Ukrainians handed over had been in Russian captivity since 2022.

Why it matters

Ukraine and Russia exchanged 205 prisoners of war each on Friday, Kyiv and Moscow said, a week after US President Donald Trump announced a large swap would take place between the two countries.

Common ground

In a post on Telegram, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that most of the Ukrainians handed over had been in Russian captivity since 2022, the year Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: Ukraine and Russia swap 205 prisoners of war each?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Moscow ramped up its strikes against civilians, killing at least 24 in an air barrage on Kyiv on Thursday?
What happens next if the deal stalls, and who has the power to restart talks?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/05/15/ukraine-and-russia-swap-205-prison…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 15 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 5

check_circle Corroborated 5

info Single Source 3

verified Verified By Reference 2

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Claim 1: “Moscow ramped up its strikes against civilians, killing at least 24 in an air barrage on Kyiv on Thursday”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 2: “Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine [in 2022]”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Confirmed by Wikipedia and multiple high-authority news sources (BBC, Deutsche Welle, France24) that Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the existing war between the two countries that began when Ru…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Ukrainian_war_(2022–pres…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Russo-Ukrainian war began in February 2014 and is ongoing. Following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, Russia occupied Crimea and annexed it from Ukraine. It then supported Russian separatist armed…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Ukrainian_war

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On 24 February 2022, during the Russo-Ukrainian war, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, starting the current phase of the war, the largest conflict in Europe since World War II. By Apri…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Russian_invasion_of_Ukrai…

+ 5 more evidence sources

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Claim 3: “they included troops who fought in the battle for the Mariupol steelworks, Azovstal, and those who defended Chernobyl”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the release of prisoners who defended the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol, though the specific mention of Chernobyl in this exact swap is less explicit in the snippets, the Azovstal connection is well-documented.

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web search NEUTRAL — 144 Ukrainian soldiers have been released, including 95 who defended the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/29/ukraine-announ…

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web search NEUTRAL — The prisoners were mainly soldiers belonging to the Azov regiment who defended the Azovstal complex, the last Ukrainian stronghold in the siege of Mariupol.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olenivka_prison_massacre

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web search NEUTRAL — The Ukrainian government announced on 30 December that Ukraine returned 189 Ukrainian prisoners of war from Russian captivity.
https://metro.co.uk/2024/12/30/russia-hands-189-ukrainian-pr…

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Claim 4: “205 Russian servicemen were returned... in exchange, 205 Ukrainian armed forces prisoners of war were transferred”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources (Sputnik, and other web search results) attribute the statement to the Russian Defense Ministry that 205 Russian servicemen were exchanged for 205 Ukrainian POWs.

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web search NEUTRAL — Russia has returned 205 Russian servicemen from territory controlled by the Kiev regime, and 205 Ukrainian prisoners of war were transferred in exchange, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
https://tass.com/defense/2131265

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web search NEUTRAL — Russia and Ukraine have exchanged 205 POWs with UAE mediation, the Russian Defense Ministry has said.
https://www.rt.com/russia/640017-russia-ukraine-prisoner-exc…

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web search NEUTRAL — Russia & Ukraine Swap 205 PoWs Each in Latest Exchange. Sputnik International. 205 Russian servicemen have been returned from territory controlled by the Kiev regime, in exchange for 205 Ukrainian pri…
https://sputnikglobe.com/20260515/russia--ukraine-swap-205-p…

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Claim 5: “Kyiv confirmed that the return of the prisoners of war was Ukraine’s main condition to agree to a three-day ceasefire”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 6: “The Ukrainian air force said Russia had launched 675 drones and 56 missiles in the attack”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 7: “the Russian troops were taken to Russia's close ally Belarus”

CORROBORATED

Two independent web sources (Anadolu Ajansı and another news report) state that the returned Russian soldiers were taken to Belarus for support and care.

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web search NEUTRAL — 205 Russian servicemen have been returned from territory controlled by the Kiev regime, in exchange for 205 Ukrainian prisoners of war, the Russian Ministry of Defense said.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20260515/russia--ukraine-swap-205-p…

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web search NEUTRAL — In exchange, 307 Ukrainian military personnel were returned to Kyiv. According to the ministry, the returned Russian servicemen and civilians are currently in Belarus, where they are receiving psychol…
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/russia-ukraine-hold-2nd-roun…

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web search NEUTRAL — The exchanged Russian soldiers were currently staying in Belarus, the Russian defence ministry said. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62np09q7l1o

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Claim 8: “The latest '1,000 for 1,000' swap was announced by Donald Trump on 8 May”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 9: “Ukraine and Russia exchanged 205 prisoners of war each on Friday”

CORROBORATED

Two independent news sources (Al Jazeera and NY Post) confirm that 205 POWs were repatriated on each side on Friday.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States and Russia maintain strategic foreign relations since the establishment 1991, a continuation of the relationship the United States has had with various Russian governments since 1803…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia–United_States_relations

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The weapons, vehicles and equipment used in the Russo-Ukrainian war, from 2014 to the present include the following. The war involves the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russian Armed Forces, the Korean …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Russo-Ukrainian_war_mi…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Party of Regions (Ukrainian: Партія регіонів, romanized: Partiia rehioniv, pronounced [ˈpɑrt⁽ʲ⁾ijɐ reɦiˈɔn⁽ʲ⁾iu̯]; Russian: Партия регионов, romanized: Partiya regionov) was a pro-Russian politica…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_of_Regions

+ 2 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 10: “US President Donald Trump announced a large swap would take place between the two countries”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While evidence confirms Donald Trump is the 47th president and has had meetings with Zelenskyy and Putin, none of the provided evidence explicitly mentions him announcing this specific prisoner swap.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025 Russia–United States Summit (also known as the Trump–Putin Summit in Alaska) was a summit meeting between United States president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin. It was hel…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Russia–United_States_summ…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On February 28, 2025, U.S. president Donald Trump and U.S. vice president JD Vance held a highly contentious bilateral meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy inside the Oval Office at th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Trump–Zelenskyy_Oval_Offi…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Steele dossier, also known as the Trump–Russia dossier, is a controversial political opposition research report on the 2016 presidential campaign of Donald Trump compiled by counterintelligence sp…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_dossier

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 11: “This is the first phase of the 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange”

SINGLE SOURCE

Only the NY Post cross-reference mentions Zelenskyy calling this the first phase of a 1,000-for-1,000 swap. Other web results for 'exchange' are irrelevant Microsoft documentation.

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web search NEUTRAL — May 8, 2024 · Microsoft Exchange Online is a cloud based messaging platform that delivers email, calendar, contacts, and tasks. Users connect to Exchange Online using apps like Outlook, Outlook on the…
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/exchange-online

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web search NEUTRAL — Dec 18, 2025 · The Exchange admin center (EAC) is a modern, web-based management console for managing Exchange Online. The design of the EAC in Exchange Online aligns with the overall Microsoft 365 ad…
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/exchange-admin-ce…

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web search NEUTRAL — Exchange documentation for IT professionals and admins PowerShell Reference for Exchange Learn about the available cmdlets in Exchange PowerShell, Exchange Online PowerShell, Security & Compliance Pow…
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/

+ 1 more evidence source

info

Claim 12: “The United Arab Emirates provided humanitarian assistance during the return of the Russian servicemen from captivity”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of United Airlines flight information, which is completely irrelevant to the United Arab Emirates providing humanitarian aid.

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web search NEUTRAL — Find great deals on tickets and earn United frequent flyer points on top of our rewards. Check on United flight status and make your reservations with Expedia.
https://www.expedia.com/United-Flights.cUA.Travel-Guide-Airl…

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web search NEUTRAL — United Airlines route map - Which destinations does United Airlines fly to? Find out which destinations you can fly to direct with United Airlines by entering your departure airport.
https://www.kayak.com/United-Airlines.UA.airline.html

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Claim 13: “the ceasefire... covered Russia's Victory Day parade on 9 May celebrating the end of World War II”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 14: “Trump said last week that Russia and Ukraine would carry out a mutual swap of 1,000 prisoners as he announced a three-day US-brokered ceasefire”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence only contains general biographical information about Donald Trump and does not mention a 1,000-prisoner swap or a three-day ceasefire announcement.

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web search NEUTRAL — 13 hours ago · Donald Trump (born June 14, 1946, New York, New York, U.S.) is a former real estate mogul and reality TV star who has served as the 45th and 47th president of the United States.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Donald-Trump

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web search NEUTRAL — Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump

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web search NEUTRAL — Stay informed and read the latest breaking news and updates on Donald Trump from AP News, the definitive source for independent journalism.
https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump

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Claim 15: “most of the Ukrainians handed over had been in Russian captivity since 2022”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results report that President Zelenskyy stated most of the released Ukrainians had been in captivity since 2022.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.