POWs

Freed today: marines, paratroopers and Mariupol defenders return from captivity

Ukraine returned a group of servicemen under the age of 25, most held in Russian captivity since 2022, as part of a new prisoner exchange, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said on June 9.

9 June 2025, 06:48 PM

Russia delays POW list agreed in Istanbul talks — Zelenskyy

Russia has still not submitted the full list of more than 1,000 prisoners of war for the exchange agreed upon in Istanbul, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his evening address on June 8.

9 June 2025, 08:03 AM

Prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia has not taken place — statements from both sides

Ukrainian officials accused Russia of applying pressure and distorting the terms of the agreement, after the head of the Russian delegation at the Istanbul talks, Vladimir Medinsky, claimed that Ukraine had postponed the planned prisoner exchange, according to his Telegram post on June 7.

7 June 2025, 06:49 PM

Prisoner exchange will take place on Saturday and Sunday — Volodymyr Zelenskyy

A new exchange of prisoners of war is set for June 7 and 8, with Russia ready to swap 500 troops, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a press conference on June 4.

4 June 2025, 05:39 PM

Ukraine screens returned POWs for Russian ties, no spies found

Ukraine conducts mandatory counterintelligence checks on all citizens freed from Russian captivity to detect potential collaboration with Russian intelligence, with no confirmed cases of espionage found, Andriy Yusov, deputy head of Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, told news agency Ukrinform on June 3.

3 June 2025, 08:30 PM

More than half of Azovstal’s defenders now liberated from Russian captivity

1,279 Ukrainian soldiers, who defended Azovstal in Mariupol in 2022 have been released from Russian captivity, 455 of them are from the Azov Brigade, HUR representative Andrii Yusov said in an interview with Radio Liberty on May 28.

29 May 2025, 09:14 AM

North Korean POWs not included in Ukraine-Russia 1,000-for-1,000 exchange

North Korean prisoners of war were not included in the large-scale 1,000-for-1,000 exchange between Ukraine and Russia, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported on May 27.

27 May 2025, 06:26 PM

Survivor recounts torture and death of POWs in Russian jail, says no one avoided beatings

Russia has been systematically torturing and abusing Ukrainian prisoners of war, resulting in the deaths of at least 206 service members, the Associated Press reported on May 27 after speaking with the family of a Ukrainian soldier who died in Russian captivity.

27 May 2025, 02:46 PM

Third phase of 1,000-for-1,000 swap: Ukraine welcomes back freed defenders

On May 25, Ukraine brought home 303 service members in the third phase of a prisoner exchange with the aggressor state Russia. NV published photos from the swap.

25 May 2025, 06:21 PM

Ukraine brings home 303 more troops in third stage of prisoner swap with Russia

Ukraine has secured the return of another 303 servicemembers from Russian captivity as part of a major prisoner exchange agreement, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on May 25.

25 May 2025, 01:01 PM

Families reunite with defenders in NV photo report

On May 24, in the second stage of a prisoner exchange with Russia, Ukraine brought home 307 prisoners of war. NV publishes a photo report capturing emotional reunions between freed Ukrainian defenders and their loved ones.

24 May 2025, 09:07 PM

Ukraine returns 307 POWs, Mariupol defenders included

Ukraine returned home 307 prisoners of war in a new exchange phase with Russia, President Zelenskyy announced on Telegram on May 24.

24 May 2025, 03:55 PM

Russia executed over 150 captured Ukrainian soldiers

Ukraine’s military intelligence has documented over 150 cases of Ukrainian prisoners of war being executed by Russian forces, Ukraine’s military intelligence reported on May 24.

24 May 2025, 01:38 PM

More POW swaps set for coming days — Zelenskyy

Further stages of the 1000-for-1000 prisoner-of-war exchange between Ukraine and Russia are expected to take place in the coming days, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on May 23.

23 May 2025, 09:36 PM

Ukraine frees 390 people in prisoner exchange with Russia — Zelenskyy

390 Ukrainians returned home from Russian captivity on May 23, marking the first stage of what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called a “1,000-for-1,000” prisoner swap, which is expected to continue through the weekend. Zelenskyy announced the news in a post on Telegram.

23 May 2025, 05:54 PM

Large-scale prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia will take several days — NV source

A major prisoner swap between Ukraine and aggressor state Russia will take place over several days, a source told NV.

23 May 2025, 04:39 PM

Trump trades facts for fantasy in premature Ukraine-Russia POW swap claim

The prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia — which U.S. President Donald Trump claimed had already taken place — had not been completed as of 1:40 p.m. local time on May 23, sources told NV.

23 May 2025, 02:25 PM

Budanov: Ukraine and Russia may exchange 1,000 prisoners each next week

A large-scale prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia in a “1,000 for 1,000” format could take place next week, according to comments by Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR), to TSN.ua on May 17.

17 May 2025, 04:21 PM

Lists of Ukrainian POWs handed to Pope Leo XIV — Coordination Center

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV has received lists of Ukrainian soldiers held in Russian captivity, Ukraine’s Coordination Center for Prisoner of War Affairs announced on Telegram on May 15.

15 May 2025, 06:44 PM

Ukraine releases touching video of May 6 POW exchange

Ukraine returned 14 border guards home in the May 6 prisoner-of-war (POW) exchange, the State Border Guard Service reported on May 7.

7 May 2025, 02:38 PM

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