Russia and Ukraine carried out a prisoner-of-war exchange on Friday, May 15, 2026, with each side releasing 205 captured personnel, according to Russia’s state-run RIA news agency.
Exchange Linked to Three-Day Ceasefire
Moscow had announced earlier this month that it agreed with Kyiv to conduct the swap as part of a three-day ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. The truce coincided with commemorations marking the end of World War II in Europe — an occasion both sides accused each other of violating.
Fighting resumed late Monday night, May 11, 2026, into Tuesday, shortly after the ceasefire expired. Ukrainian forces launched drone strikes inside Russia, while Russian forces intensified attacks across Ukraine — including a large-scale assault on Kyiv and its surrounding region that killed at least 21 people and wounded dozens, according to Ukraine’s latest official emergency services report.
Drone Strike Hits Ryazan, Killing Three
In one such incident, three people were killed and 12 others injured — including children — in the Russian city of Ryazan, southeast of Moscow, following a Ukrainian drone strike, regional governor Pavel Malkov reported via Telegram just before 6:00 a.m. local time (Greece time). Malkov confirmed that two residential apartment buildings were struck.
The attack comes amid ongoing hostilities, even as diplomatic efforts — including prisoner exchanges — continue alongside battlefield operations.