prisoners of war

Ukraine proposes allowing POWs make phone calls

Ukraine’s Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets proposed during talks with his Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova, that Ukraine and Russia allow prisoners of war to make phone calls to their families, Lubinets said on July 1.

2 July, 01:39 AM

UN records 129 executions of Ukrainian POWs by Russian forces

Invading Russian forces have executed at least 129 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) since February 2022, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said in a report on June 29.

29 June, 11:49 PM

Ukrainian troops to get $2,200 bonuses for capturing enemy soldiers

Ukrainian service members will receive additional cash payments of UAH100,000 ($2,200) for each captured Russian combatant and UAH15,000 ($335) for killing an enemy soldier in small-arms combat, Deputy Defense Minister Mstyslav Banik announced on June 15.

15 June, 10:54 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

Ukraine creates new ambassador post to coordinate POWs and missing persons

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has established a new position of Ambassador-at-Large to coordinate international work on the return of prisoners of war, civilian hostages and missing persons. Dmytro Ponomarenko has been appointed to the post, the ministry announced on April 13.

14 April, 02:50 PM

300 POWs freed in March 6 exchange

Two Ukrainian civilians and 300 service members returned home after a prisoner exchange with Russia on March 6, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

7 March, 03:36 AM

Szijjártó shows two Ukrainian prisoners of war Russia handed over to Hungary

Two Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen with Hungarian and Ukrainian citizenship, released from Russian captivity, arrived in Budapest, Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said, posting photos of them on Facebook on March 5, according to Telex.

5 March, 02:25 PM

Ukraine has documented more than 213,000 alleged war crimes by Russian invaders

Ukrainian authorities have recorded 213,200 alleged war crimes committed by Russian forces against Ukrainians since the start of the full-scale invasion, Taras Semkiv of the Prosecutor General’s Office said in comments to public broadcaster Suspilne on March 4.

4 March, 05:06 PM

Lubinets: At least 337 Ukrainian POWs executed in Russian captivity

Russian forces “deliberately and brutally” executed 337 Ukrainian prisoners of war as of the end of 2025, Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, said on March 3.

4 March, 02:47 AM

Kenya asks for Kyiv’s help in repatriating nationals recruited by Russia

Kenyan President William Ruto asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to help secure the return of Kenyan citizens whom Russia has illegally recruited to fight in Ukraine, Ruto said in a Twitter post on Nov. 6.

7 November 2025, 11:55 PM

Nearly 90% of freed Ukrainian POWs report torture, OSCE report says

Russia’s systematic use of torture against Ukrainian prisoners-of-war is a violation of international humanitarian law, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said in a report released on Sept. 22.

27 September 2025, 02:13 AM

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

Kyiv unveiled an installation to remember Ukrainian military and civilians who are missing in action

The "Shadow of Presence" installation, dedicated to Ukrainian military and civilian personnel who went missing as a result of the war, was opened on Volodymyrska Hill in Kyiv, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine reported on June 25.

25 June 2025, 02:08 PM

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

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

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, Russia set to swap 500 prisoners on April 19

Ukrainian and Russian authorities are planning to exchange about 500 prisoners-of-war on April 19, Sky News reported on April 18.

18 April 2025, 10:26 PM

Russian troops execute four Ukrainian POWs in Zaporizhzhya Oblast, video shows

Russian forces shot four Ukrainian prisoners-of-war in Piatykhatky, Zaporizhzhya Oblast, in March, the Associated Press reported on April 10, citing video footage obtained from sources.

10 April 2025, 09:38 PM

China responds to capture of its citizens fighting for Russia in Donbas

China’s Foreign Ministry is working with Ukraine to verify reports of two Chinese nationals captured as prisoners of war while fighting for Russia in Donetsk Oblast, Newsweek quoted the department’s representative as saying on April 9.

9 April 2025, 12:55 PM

‘We did what we were supposed to’: Russian soldier confesses to Bucha war crimes — Slidstvo.Info investigation

Ukrainian investigative outlet Slidstvo.Info has obtained exclusive footage, including interrogation records and video from crime scene reenactments, along with an interview with a Russian soldier who killed a civilian in Bucha and witnessed his fellow servicemen torturing and raping Ukrainians.

1 April 2025, 03:00 PM

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