Hope and Heartbreak in Kyiv: Families Await News of Prisoners Released in Russia-Ukraine Exchange

Kyiv, Ukraine – June 10, 2025. A prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine has brought both joy and sorrow to families awaiting the return of loved ones. NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel reported from outside a hospital north of Kyiv, where many released prisoners arrived in poor condition. "Some are missing limbs, they're all gaunt. You could tell that they were prisoners," Engel observed. The scene was a mix of hope and despair. One woman, whose father has been missing for over two years, learned from another released prisoner that her father is alive and well. Her enormous smile contrasted sharply with the tears of others who learned their relatives were not among those released. The families brought posters with photos, hoping to identify their loved ones. This event underscores the human cost of the conflict and the enduring hope for reunification.