By Andreas Lundberg 
Ukraine has finalized and submitted a list of names to Russia for a significant prisoner exchange in a “1,000 for 1,000” format, according to Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) and deputy head of the Coordination Staff for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. Yusov provided no further details on the process, as reported by UNIAN.
The agreement for this large-scale exchange was reached on May 16 in Istanbul during a meeting between Ukrainian and Russian representatives. HUR chief Kyrylo Budanov had previously indicated that the exchange could take place by the end of this week, stating, “We will take back whoever we can, and give back accordingly.” Budanov expressed confidence that there are no significant obstacles to implementing the “1,000 for 1,000” formula.
On May 22, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of this agreement, noting it as one of the few tangible outcomes of the Istanbul talks. “The agreement to free 1,000 of our people from Russian captivity is a key result. We are working to ensure this outcome is achieved,” Zelenskyy said. He added that Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is overseeing the organization of the exchange, with involvement from HUR, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ukrainian Parliament’s Human Rights Commissioner, and the President’s Office team. “We are clarifying details for each person listed by the Russian side,” Zelenskyy noted.
The president underscored that bringing all Ukrainians home from Russian captivity remains a top priority. “I am grateful to everyone who is helping,” he concluded.
This exchange marks a critical step in ongoing efforts to secure the release of Ukrainian prisoners, with both sides actively preparing to execute the agreement in the coming days.
Ethan Caldwell