POWs

Russian-hired fighters from 33 countries held in Ukraine

More than 100 foreign mercenaries, recruited into the Russian army from 33 countries worldwide, are currently held in Ukrainian captivity, according to the I Want to Live project of Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, which released a collage of photos showing some of these fighters on Aug. 1.

1 August 2025, 06:20 PM

Ukrainian marine slams American rapper’s cruel mockery of his captivity

Oleksandr Kirienko, a fighter from Ukraine’s 36th Marine Brigade, who survived torture in Russian captivity, responded to American rapper Azealia Banks after she mocked his appearance following his release, according to a video he posted on Facebook on July 31.

1 August 2025, 02:10 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

Freed Russian POWs die in assaults within one year

Some Russian soldiers who returned from Ukrainian captivity survived less than a year, based on an analysis of fallen Russian soldiers, Russian media outlet Verstka reported on July 22.

22 July 2025, 08:58 PM

‘Elite’ Russian troops captured in Donetsk Oblast

Ukraine’s 24th Mechanized Brigade captured several soldiers from Russia’s 98th Guards Airborne Division—which is regarded as one of the elite units of the Russian military—near Chasiv Yar, Donetsk Oblast.

17 July 2025, 12:54 AM

Captured Russian reports 90% unit losses in Ukraine

A Russian soldier, captured by a drone operated by the National Guard of Ukraine’s Spartan Brigade, disclosed that fewer than 20 of his nearly 200-man unit survived assaults on Ukrainian positions, the National Guard reported on X on July 1.

1 July 2025, 09:25 PM

UN flags concerns over publicized POW videos in Ukraine

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has voiced concern over the publication of videos featuring Russian prisoners of war held in Ukraine, the organization wrote in its report, published on June 30.

1 July 2025, 11:22 AM

Ukrainian forces capture two Cameroonian mercenaries fighting for Russia - video

Ukrainian soldiers have captured two Cameroonian citizens — Metugene Una-na Jean Pafe and Anatole Frank on the Siversk axis (Donetsk Oblast), soldiers from the 20th Separate Drone Systems Regiment reported on Facebook on June 29.

30 June 2025, 09:02 AM

Chinese citizen fighting for Russia surrenders in Ukraine

Ukrainian defenders captured another Chinese citizen fighting for Russia in the war against Ukraine, serving in the 102nd Regiment of Russia’s 150th Division, the Hochu Zhyt (‘I Want to Live’) project, supported by Ukraine’s Defense Ministry and Main Directorate of Intelligence, reported on June 27, releasing footage of the prisoner.

27 June 2025, 07:43 PM

Ukrainian defenders from military, National Guard, and border forces returned from Russian captivity

Ukrainian service members from the Armed Forces, National Guard, and State Border Guard Service have been returned from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on June 26.

26 June 2025, 05:55 PM

Ukrainian paratroopers take 15 Russian marines prisoner in Sumy Oblast - video

Ukrainian Air Assault Forces, together with neighboring units, captured a group of 15 Russian invaders in Sumy Oblast, the military wrote on Facebook on June 26.

26 June 2025, 12:55 PM

Russia sentences nearly 200 Ukrainian POWs for ‘terrorism’ after battles near Kursk

Over the past six months, Russia’s Second Western District Military Court has convicted 184 Ukrainian prisoners of war who were captured during fighting in Kursk Oblast, according to calculations by independent Russian outlet Mediazona on June 25.

25 June 2025, 05:15 PM

PACE calls on Russia to agree to ‘all for all’ POW exchange

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution calling to support negotiations between Ukraine and Russia for a full prisoner exchange in the "all for all" format, the organization wrote on its website on June 24.

25 June 2025, 01:20 PM

Soldier celebrating his birthday returns home after being freed from Russian captivity

Among the Ukrainian defenders who returned to their homeland from Russian captivity is a fighter whose birthday is today, as announced by Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets, who also published footage of the return on June 19.

19 June 2025, 06:59 PM

Ukraine frees severely ill defenders from Russian captivity

Ukraine and Russia conducted a new prisoner exchange, securing the release of a group of Ukrainian defenders, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on X on June 19.

19 June 2025, 05:25 PM

HUR debunks Russia’s claim that nearly no POWs remain in Ukraine

Russian claims that there are almost no Russian prisoners of war left in Ukraine after the "thousand-for-a-thousand" exchange agreement are false, as reported by Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, in a comment to LIGA.net on June 19.

19 June 2025, 10:39 AM

14 months needed to identify bodies of Ukrainian soldiers from Russia — Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko

It will take more than a year to identify all the bodies of about 6,000 military personnel transferred by Russia during repatriation measures, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko stated at the United News telethon on June 18.

18 June 2025, 12:59 PM

Russia confirms Ukrainian POWs with 4-6 month lag with incomplete lists

Russia confirms Ukrainian prisoners of war to the Red Cross 4-6 months after capture with incomplete lists, Ukraine’s missing persons commissioner Artur Dobroserdov said during the national telethon program on June 13, news agency Interfax Ukraine reported.

13 June 2025, 08:52 PM

1,200 dead repatriated to Ukraine from Russia

The bodies of 1,200 deceased individuals, which Russia claims belong to Ukrainians, including defenders, were returned to Ukraine, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported on June 13.

13 June 2025, 04:19 PM

Ukraine, Russia conduct new exchange of seriously ill and wounded POWs — first photos

Ukraine and the aggressor state Russia conducted the second stage of a prisoner exchange involving severely wounded and seriously ill servicemembers on June 12, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced.

12 June 2025, 06:07 PM

POWs

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