prisoner exchange

Ukraine returns 157 from Russian captivity after long pause

157 Ukrainian citizens — mostly soldiers held in Russian captivity since 2022 — in a major prisoner exchange after a prolonged pause, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on Feb. 5.

5 February, 04:07 PM

Umerov returns to Ukraine after Türkiye and Middle East trip as officials reject rumors

National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov has returned to Ukraine after an official trip abroad, public broadcaster Suspilne reported on Nov. 20, citing his spokesperson Diana Davitian.

20 November 2025, 05:56 PM

Zelenskyy heads to Spain and Turkey

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will hold a series of high-level meetings in Spain and Turkey this week aimed at securing additional international support, pushing forward efforts to end the war, and restarting prisoner-exchange negotiations, according to his Nov. 18 Telegram post.

18 November 2025, 10:23 AM

Chornobyl defenders return home in POW swap

Ukraine and Russia concluded another prisoner-of-war exchange on Oct. 2, which saw 185 Ukrainian servicemembers returning home, some of whom were captured as far back as 2022.

3 October 2025, 10:33 PM

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

Freed Ukrainian journalist Khiluk recounts prisoner exchange

Dmytro Khiluk, a UNIAN journalist released from Russian captivity on Aug. 24, 2025, described how he learned he was being taken for a prisoner exchange, recalling that his name was announced among those to be “collected.” He shared his experience in an interview with the news agency UNIAN.

28 August 2025, 10:15 PM

Ukraine frees soldiers, civilians from Russian captivity – photos

Ukrainian soldiers from the Armed Forces, National Guard, and State Border Guard Service, along with civilians, were freed from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on Aug. 24.

24 August 2025, 07:08 PM

Six years in Russian captivity: women tell their story

Three civilian women from Donetsk, Yulia Panina, Maryna Bereznyatska, and Svitlana Holovan, captured by Russia in 2019, were released in a prisoner exchange on Aug. 14, 2025, and spoke to reporters about their captivity, hromadske reported on Aug. 22.

22 August 2025, 05:06 PM

Ukraine receives bodies of 1,000 fallen soldiers, including five who died in captivity

Ukraine received the bodies of a thousand fallen soldiers, the Coordination Headquarters for Prisoner Affairs reported on Aug. 19.

19 August 2025, 05:19 PM

Mariupol defenders, civilian hostages freed in Aug. 14 prisoner swap

Ukraine welcomed home defenders of Mariupol and long-held civilian hostages in an Aug. 14 prisoner exchange with Russia, witnessed on the ground by The New Voice of Ukraine journalist Serhiy Okniev, who reported from the site as families embraced loved ones returning from years in captivity.

15 August 2025, 04:55 PM

Ukraine frees Mariupol defender who evacuated ship from Crimea in 2014

During a new prisoner exchange with Russia, Mariupol defender Oleksandr Boychuk, commander of Ukraine’s only raid minesweeper Henichesk, returned home, Ukrainian journalist and military reporter Bohdan Kutiepov reported on Facebook on Aug. 14.

14 August 2025, 06:58 PM

How latest prisoner exchange happened — photos, videos

Ukraine secured the release of 84 citizens—33 soldiers and 51 civilians—through a prisoner exchange with Russia, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported on Aug. 14.

14 August 2025, 06:04 PM

Ukraine brings home 84 captives from Russian detention

Ukraine successfully brought back 84 people from Russian captivity through a new prisoner exchange with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on X on Aug. 14.

14 August 2025, 05:17 PM

SBU shares rare video from latest Russia prisoner swap

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) released rare footage from the prisoner exchange with Russia on July 23.

24 July 2025, 11:15 AM

Over 1,000 Ukrainian POWs freed in massive Russia swap

More than 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers were released from Russian captivity on July 23 as part of the ninth prisoner of war (POW) exchange agreed upon by Ukrainian and Russian delegations during talks in Istanbul.

24 July 2025, 10:13 AM

Zelenskyy: Kyiv-Moscow talks set in Turkey

A meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations will take place in Turkey on July 23, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced during an evening address to the nation on July 21.

22 July 2025, 09:23 AM

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

Ukraine says only direct Zelenskyy-Putin meeting can end war

A breakthrough in ending Russia’s war against Ukraine will only be possible through a direct meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, First Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsya said in an interview with Suspilne on June 19.

20 June 2025, 05:57 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

Ukraine, Russia repatriate thousands of fallen under Istanbul accord

Ukraine has received the bodies of another 1,245 people — including military personnel — from Russia, concluding the repatriation process agreed under the Istanbul agreements, the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War announced on June 16.

16 June 2025, 03:40 PM

prisoner exchange

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