This video grab taken from footage provided by Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War on April 16, 2023, shows a freed Ukrainian prisoner eating a traditional Easter cake during his exchange in an unknown location in Ukraine. (PHOTO / AFP)
KIEV – The projected "all-for-all" prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia will take place in several stages, Ukraine's Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said Monday.
"If we manage to agree on an 'all-for-all' exchange, it will obviously be carried out in several stages," the agency said in a statement.
The release of all captives held by the parties involves certain risks so all the steps to implement the swap deal will be "prudent and well-considered," it said.
READ MORE: China's efforts to end conflict highly valued
Earlier this month, Kyrylo Budanov, chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, said Ukraine is in talks with Russia over an "all-for-all" prisoner exchange.
According to the Ukrainian authorities, Ukraine and Russia have carried out more than 40 prisoner swaps since the first exchange in March 2022.