Russia, Ukraine Conduct First Prisoner Exchange in Four Months After 'Long Pause'

• Russia and Ukraine completed a prisoner of war and civilian exchange, the first in four months, following trilateral talks with the US in Abu Dhabi.
• The swap involved 157 Ukrainians (including 7 civilians) released by Moscow and 157 Russians freed by Kyiv.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted the exchange occurred after a "long pause," with the last one in October 2025.
• Many of the returning Ukrainians, including soldiers and civilians, had been in captivity since 2012.
• The exchange happened days after inconclusive peace talks in Abu Dhabi, which followed weeks of intense Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.