POW exchange

South Korea recalls envoy from Ukraine amid dispute over North Korean POWs

South Korea has recalled its ambassador from Ukraine amid a diplomatic dispute over the disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war, South Korean news outlet The Chosun Daily reported on Oct. 8.

8 October, 12:10 PM

Ukraine denies secrecy pledge after Seoul criticism over North Korean POW transfer

Ukraine did not commit to withholding information about the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, a source in Ukraine’s Presidential Office told RBC-Ukraine on Sept. 25.

25 September, 04:35 PM

Ukraine brings home 10 troops via Belarus, all previously listed missing

Ukraine brought 10 service members back from Russian captivity on Aug. 24 as part of a special phase of a prisoner exchange, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

24 August, 04:10 PM

Ukraine brings home 160 troops held by Russia since 2022

Ukraine and Russia carried out a new round of prisoner exchanges on June 26, bringing home 160 Ukrainian service members who had been held in captivity since 2022, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media.

26 June, 03:55 PM

Most Ukrainian POWs now home — ombudsman

Ukraine has brought home more soldiers from Russian captivity than remain there, Ukraine’s ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said in an interview with RFE/RL on June 10.

10 June, 07:56 PM

Zelenskyy on Umerov’s mandate in U.S. talks

National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) secretary Rustem Umerov’s visit to the United States will focus on trilateral Ukraine–U.S.–Russia talks and seeking mediation for further POW exchanges with Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on May 7.

7 May, 09:47 PM

Ukraine brings home 193 service members in new prisoner exchange with Russia — photo

Ukraine brought home 193 service members from Russian captivity in a new prisoner exchange, the second stage of what officials called the Easter exchange, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on April 24.

24 April, 06:20 PM

Ukraine's NSDC Secretary Umerov meets with Turkish leadership

National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov held meetings with Turkish leaders in Ankara to discuss the security situation, the negotiation process with Russia, and future steps regarding shared threats, he wrote on March 31.

1 April, 11:37 AM

U.S.-Ukraine talks yield hope for new prisoner exchanges

Ukrainian delegation achieved progress on specific issues during negotiations with U.S. representatives in Florida, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov wrote on Telegram on March 22.

23 March, 08:45 AM

Nearly 200 Ukrainians return home after POW swap

In the latest prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia, 185 Ukrainian servicemembers and 20 civilians are returning from Russian captivity, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov announced on Oct. 2.

2 October 2025, 08:33 PM

No quick reunion with family: what really happens to Russian POWs after exchanges — Coordination HQ

Russian prisoners of war returning home after exchanges face interrogations and redeployment to the front lines, not treatment, rehabilitation, or family reunions, according to Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. The state project I Want to Live, backed by the Defense Ministry and Ukraine’s HUR military intelligence, released the account.

25 August 2025, 02:05 PM

Zelenskyy after White House talks: best meeting yet

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a briefing following talks at the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders, where he called this meeting “the best of all”.

19 August 2025, 08:17 AM

Zelenskyy: Deal reached with Russia on return of 1,200 prisoners, work on lists underway

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine and Russia have reached an agreement to exchange 1,200 prisoners of war following negotiations in Istanbul.

3 August 2025, 04:37 PM

Over 5,800 Ukrainians returned from Russian captivity since full-scale invasion — Zelenskyy

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has brought home 5,857 people from Russian captivity, with an additional 555 released outside formal exchanges, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on July 28, the Day of Mourning and Commemoration for defenders and civilians who died in captivity.

28 July 2025, 06:12 PM

New prisoner swaps, Medinsky’s lies, and a proposal for a leaders’ summit: Key takeaways from Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul

Ukraine and aggressor state Russia held a third round of negotiations in Istanbul on July 23, with Türkiye acting as mediator. Russia again refused to agree to an unconditional ceasefire. Ukraine proposed a leaders’ summit before the end of August. The two sides also reached a deal to regularly exchange severely wounded and seriously ill prisoners of war.

24 July 2025, 10:45 AM

Ukraine, Russia to hold new round of talks in Istanbul, but Kremlin undermines effort — ISW

Ukraine and Russia are scheduled to hold a third round of bilateral negotiations in Istanbul on July 23, but Kremlin officials are already undermining the talks, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote in their July 22 report.

23 July 2025, 10:27 AM

Klymenko: Russia returns own soldiers’ bodies with Ukrainians’

Russia has returned the bodies of its own soldiers along with those of fallen Ukrainian servicemembers during recent repatriations, Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on June 16.

16 June 2025, 06:25 PM

POW exchange