Russia and Ukraine announced on Saturday that they had carried out the largest prisoner exchange of the war since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that 246 Russian servicemen had returned from Kiev-controlled territory and that, "as a gesture of goodwill", 31 wounded Ukrainian prisoners of war had been transferred in exchange for 15 wounded Russian soldiers in need of urgent medical attention.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that 277 Ukrainian "fighters" had returned from Russian captivity.

Since the beginning of the conflict, more than 4,500 people, including combatants and civilians, have returned to Ukrainian territory, according to Zelensky.

Putin ordered a ceasefire and the cessation of all military action over the Easter weekend in Ukraine.

Zelensky called the temporary truce announced by Putin "yet another attempt by Putin to play with human lives".