More than 100 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been released as part of a major Easter exchange with Russia, a top official said Sunday, as Orthodox Ukrainians marked the holiday for a second time since Moscow unleashed its brutal full-scale war last February.
While celebrations were subdued due to security risks, with a curfew barring the faithful from customary all-night services, Ukrainian authorities and ordinary people shared messages of hope, linking the story of Jesus' resurrection to their longing for peace and a Ukrainian victory.
"The lives of our people are the highest value for us," Yermak said, adding that Kyiv's goal was to bring back all remaining POWs. In his Easter address released on Sunday morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the holiday as marking "the victory of good, the victory of truth, the victory of life," and he stressed what he said was Ukrainian unity in the face of Russian aggression.
"Easter is a holiday of great hope. Hope that will bring us peace. I believe that together, united, we will overcome the enemy," he wrote in a Facebook post. He also thanked all front-line soldiers who he said will "hold the defense in the trenches, stay in the dugouts, carry out combat duty" as the rest of the country celebrates.
For a second year in a row, Moscow's brutal war has interrupted holiday routines. Ukraine's main security service this week issued a statement urging residents not to linger in churches on Sunday, in order to avoid crowding and minimize security risks.
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