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Amidst the escalating Ukraine-Russia conflict, the issue of captivity has taken a center stage with over 10,000 Russian soldiers captured, as reported by the 'I Want to Live' project. Ukraine has made significant strides, with 2,080 military personnel and 230 civilians returned from captivity in 2025 alone. However, disturbing reports of torture and the increasing number of foreign mercenaries add complexity to this humanitarian crisis. The Coordination Headquarters has emphasized the importance of prisoner exchanges and the urgent need for Russia to adhere to international laws regarding the treatment of prisoners of war.

How many Russian soldiers have been captured in the Ukraine conflict?

As of now, over 10,000 Russian soldiers have been reported captured during the full-scale war against Ukraine. This figure has been compiled by the 'I Want to Live' project, emphasizing a significant increase in prisoners of war due to ongoing hostilities.

What challenges do captives face in the Ukraine-Russia conflict?

The captives in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict face several challenges, including torture, lack of basic human rights, and inadequate exchanges. Reports have detailed harsh conditions and the refusal to engage in fair exchanges based on the "all for all" principle, further complicating the situation.

What initiatives are in place to address prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia?

Efforts to conduct prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia are ongoing, with the Coordination Headquarters reporting a record number of exchanges in 2025. The exchanges have facilitated the return of numerous military personnel and civilians, but challenges persist due to diplomatic tensions.

Are there any foreign nationals involved in the Ukraine-Russia captivity issues?

Yes, there is a notable presence of foreign nationals involved in the Ukraine-Russia captivity issues. There have been reports of foreign mercenaries and recruited soldiers among the captives, highlighting the international dimension of this conflict and the varied backgrounds of those captured.

What are the humanitarian concerns related to captivity in the Ukraine conflict?

The captivity situation in the Ukraine conflict raises significant humanitarian concerns, including reports of torture, inadequate care for prisoners, and the emotional and psychological impact on both military personnel and civilians. These concerns underscore the urgent need for international intervention and adherence to human rights conventions.

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News captivity

POW exchange talks to continue today, - SBU Adviser Tandit Last weekend's failed talks on prisoners exchange will continue today. 2 261 16 Incidents

Negotiations on POW exchange to continue on Monday Exchange of prisoners was not completed as the release group saw a security threat for Ukrainian prisoners of war held by the militants. 4 699 69 Ukrainian Politics

кремль боевики пленные Kremlin ordered “DPR” militants to hold "parade of prisoners" on the Independence Day of Ukraine. DOCUMENT The “DPR” militants received the order from Moscow to hold "parade of POWs" in the occupied Donetsk on the Independence Day of Ukraine. 98 772 476 Incidents

мид Foreign Ministry: Discrimination of Ukrainians became constant in Russia Ukraine's Foreign Ministry says violation of rights of Ukrainian citizens in Russia has acquired "a systematic and discriminatory nature." Kyiv also accused Moscow of being partial to hostages. 49 918 373 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

старков Detained Russian Major Starkov addressed President Putin. VIDEO (in Russian) Detained Russian officer Vladimir Starkov addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin attempting to convince him he was an acting officer of the Russian army. 176 615 489 Previously in trend: Evidence of Russian aggression in Ukraine Captured Russian special forces operatives

плен 177 Ukrainians held captive by terrorists, - SBU Head Adviser Tandit 177 citizens of Ukraine are held prisoners at the moment in the self-proclaimed "LPR," "DPR," and in Russia. 6 297 19 Ukrainian Politics

Nadia Savchenko was captured by Russians before her alleged victims were killed, expert review confirms Lawyer Mark Feygin published a package of documents on expert review of the video confirming Nadia Savchenko's alibi. 42 888 305 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

Freed Ukrainian soldiers described their captivity: "There were only questions and interrogations" Three Ukrainian soldiers captured last winter near the Donetsk airport were freed from captivity past night. Ukrainian soldiers described how they had been interrogated by terrorists. 32 872 66 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

плен captivity Three Ukrainian soldiers released from terrorists’ captivity Advisor to the Deputy Defense Minister Vasyl Budyk shared information that terrorists have released three Ukrainian soldiers from captivity. 20 239 143 Incidents

PGO to serve Russian GRU operatives notice of suspicion of unleashing armed conflict, chief military prosecutor says Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Chief Military Prosecutor Anatolii Matios announced today that former Russian officers of the Main Intelligence Directorate Alexander Aleksandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev faced charges of initiating the armed conflict in the territory of Ukraine. 16 809 135 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

Militants intentionally understate the number of Ukrainian prisoners, MP says There are about 240 Ukrainians in militants’ captivity today according to the list compiled by the Security Service of Ukraine in conjunction with the Ministry of Defense and volunteers. However, the representatives of illegal armed groups deliberately understate the number of Ukrainian prisoners. 10 224 38 Incidents

Detained Russian captain Yerofeyev confirmed other Russian soldiers held captive in Ukraine "Many Russian citizens are held captives in Ukraine, including military. No consular assistance is being granted to them. Consul Grubiy has never visited any of them. I am not the only one here with Sasha [Alexander Aleksandrov, another detained soldier from Russia - ed.]. We are just the only ones covered by media." 83 691 291 Previously in trend: Evidence of Russian aggression in Ukraine Captured Russian special forces operatives

Russian GRU operatives Aleksandrov and Yerofeyev transferred to remand prison in Kyiv, - lawyer Operatives of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Alexander Aleksandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev captured during engagement in Shchastia were transferred to a pretrial detention facility in Kyiv yesterday. 10 719 50 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

Russian government ordered terrorists to capture Ukrainian officers for further exchange, - SBU Russian generalship ordered the militants of the "Donetsk People's Republic" and “Luhansk People's Republic" to capture Ukrainian officers for further exchange. 40 392 77 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

сбу тандит Tandit: Our priority is liberation of captive Ukrainians, so we consider exchange of Russian commandos Ukraine's priority is liberation of captive Ukrainians from terrorists and Russian military. Therefore, the authorized persons are considering an exchange of the captive Russian commandos despite their crimes in the territory of Ukraine. 39 755 342 Previously in trend: Evidence of Russian aggression in Ukraine Captured Russian special forces operatives

Kremlin banned captured commando's mother from seeing her son in Kyiv, - Security Service The mother of the Russian commando Aleksandr Aleksandrov captured in the Luhansk region is not allowed to visit her son due to position of Moscow. 83 647 516 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

александров ерофеев aleksandrov yerofeyev SBU published recent photos of the Russian commandos Yerofeyev and Aleksandrov: "Their trial is scheduled for September". PHOTOS Advisor to the Chairman of the Security Service of Ukraine Yurii Tandit made pictures of Russian GRU operatives Aleksandrov and Yerofeyev. 84 981 250 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

россия спецназ гру александров ерофеев Russian commandos Yerofeyev and Aleksandrov are awaiting trial in Kyiv, SBU press-secretary says The Security Service of Ukraine has denied information on alleged exchange of the two Russians - GRU special forces operatives Yevgeniy Yerofeyev and Alexander Aleksandrov. 38 930 263 Incidents

россия спецназ гру александров ерофеев Russian Defense Ministry officially disowned captured GRU officers Aleksandrov and Yerofeyev. DOCUMENT The Russian Defense Ministry officially disowned the GRU (Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian General Staff - ed.) representatives Aleksandrov and Yerofeyev captured in May on the "LPR"-controlled territory. 137 731 657 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

плен 10 soldiers released from captivity, - Poroshenko 10 Ukrainian servicemen have been released from captivity. 45 778 157 Ukrainian Politics

Major prisoner exchange under Minsk agreements to take place in the near future The Ukrainian side is preparing to hold major exchange of prisoners with the militants, which could take place in the near future within the Minsk agreements. 7 092 30 Incidents

"DPR" militants killed State Fiscal Service employee and captured two traffic policemen - Head of Donetsk region police On June 15, 2015 two traffic police officers of the Donetsk region - Lieutenant Colonel Vitalii Balbekov and Major Oleksii Shevchenko sis not show up at work. On the same day, their wives came to the police stating that their husbands left home and did not return. 85 413 205 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

About thousand bodies of soldiers remain unidentified - Ruban The total number of persons that have gone missing in the zone of the antiterrorist operation is 1,200 - 1,300. 20 251 109 Incidents

There might be about 30 Ukrainian captives in Russia According to unconfirmed reports, there might be 30 Ukrainian prisoners in the Russian Federation. 6 707 80 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

александров Mother of detained Russian special forces operative Aleksandrov asks Kremlin not to abandon her son Mother of Russian special forces operative Aleksandrov, detained in the Donbas, says her son never told her of his discharge from the army. She is afraid to pick up the phone. 135 672 450 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

PACE urges Russia and Russian-backed militants to release Ukrainian POWs and hostages The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has called on Russia and Russian-backed militants to release all prisoners of war and create a mechanism to search persons that have become missing during the conflict in Ukraine, reads a PACE resolution adopted on Thursday on the basis of a report by Jim Sheridan (United Kingdom, SOC). 8 669 208 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

задержание плен свастика боевики оккупанты Russian mercenary Tolstokorov, detained by Pravyi Sector, confirms looting in self-proclaimed republic. PHOTOS + VIDEO 'DPR" mercenary, who was detained by the 8th separate Aratta company of Pravyi Sector volunteer corps on June 13 near Shyrokyne, turned out to be Russian citizen Roman Tolstokorov. 158 862 529 Photo News

плен Volunteers Serhii Lozyskyi and Yulia Petrenko released from captivity. PHOTO Serhii Lozyskyi and Yulia Petrenko have been liberated. 38 547 42 Photo News

Three soldiers of the Interior Ministry special forces battalion tripped a booby trap in the Luhansk region, - ATO speaker Three soldiers of the special forces battalion of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine triggered grenade trip wire in the Luhansk region on Wednesday, June 10. 21 920 71 Incidents

плен понамарев captivity ponomariov Ukrainian scout Oleksandr Ponomariov released from terrorists’ captivity, - Advisor to Deputy Defense Minister. PHOTOS Ukrainian soldier, scout Oleksandr Ponomariov was released today as a result of the joint work of the Group on Humanitarian Affairs, the Security Service of Ukraine and the Defense Ministry’s Department of Cooperation. 46 108 70 Society

Russian special forces operative Yerofeyev brought to the appeal court in Kyiv, - lawyer Detained servicemen of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GRU) Yevgeny Yerofeyev was brought to the session of the appeal court in Kyiv on Wednesday. 17 243 138 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

плен кулиш "Patriot whom they have been trying to smash for nine months and who refused to betray Ukraine," Butusov about Dmytro Kulish release from captivity. PHOTOS Dmytro Kulish, one of the best volunteer soldiers of the Donbas battalion, call sign Semerka, survived after nine months of fiendish tortures in "DPR" chambers. 45 020 118 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

луценко "Terrorists won’t get any food from our side until they release prisoners and stop shelling," - Lutsenko Poroshenko Bloc faction leader Yurii Lutsenko says economic blockade of the gangs in the occupied territories of the Donbas is necessary. 132 914 827 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

Captured Russian special forces operative Yerofeyev transferred to pre-trial detention centre, - attorney The detained Russian special forces operative captain Yerofeyev was moved from Kyiv military hospital to a pre-trial detention center. 27 783 182 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

ерофеев “… and then, f*ck it, our battalion commander will see how we thr#w,” – phone video by Russian commando Aleksandrov. VIDEO (full version) Full version of the video from Donbas-captured Russian commando Aleksandrov’s phone was posted online. Beware of strong language (in Russian)! 262 696 439 Previously in trend: Evidence of Russian aggression in Ukraine Captured Russian special forces operatives

Prisoners exchange to be discussed at working groups' meeting in Minsk, - OSCE Members of working groups will discuss in Minsk the matter of prisoners exchange in all-for-all format. 3 529 37 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

александров “I hugged Ukrainian ground as though it was my home,” - MP Lutsenko showed phone video of detained commando Aleksandrov in Parliament. VIDEO The Head of the parliamentary group Petro Poroshenko Bloc demonstrated a fragment of a video from Donbas-captured Russian commando Aleksandrov’s phone in the Parliament. 130 188 306 Previously in trend: Evidence of Russian aggression in Ukraine Captured Russian special forces operatives

рф консул Arrested Russian special forces soldiers receive adequate medical treatment and actively cooperate with investigation, - SBU. PHOTOS Arrested Russian special forces operatives Captain Yevgeniy Yerofeyev and Sergeant Alexander Aleksandrov receive adequate medical treatment and actively cooperate with investigation. 47 754 165 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

марьинка Ukrainian soldier captured by terrorists in a clash near Marinka, - Interior Ministry One Ukrainian soldier was captured by the separatists in a combat near Marinka, the Donetsk region. 84 216 402 Ukrainian Politics

порошенко poroshenko Poroshenko awarded servicemen who detained Russian subversives near Shchastia. PHOTOS The president has met with servicemen from the 92nd separate mechanized brigade of the operative command “East” of the Land Forces of Ukraine who detained Russian servicemen Yevhen Yerofeyev and Alexander Aleksandrov in a battle near Shchastya on May 16 during his working visit to the Donetsk region. 37 543 145 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

"90 out of 124 days I spent in a two by one meter cell with no windows. The terrorists tried to get me to switch to their side promising the rank of Colonel," - Liberated ‘Cyborg’ Oleh Kuzminykh After his release from the terrorist captivity commander of the 90th airmobile battalion of the 81st Airborne Brigade Oleh Kuzminykh told the press how the militants tried to persuade him to switch to the “DPR” side. 47 147 206 Previously in trend: Fighting for the Donetsk airport

александров GRU soldier Aleksandrov on his conversation with Russian consul: "I asked about my sudden dismissal. He promised to check with the Defense Ministry". VIDEO The detained commandos met with the Russian consul. The diplomat said negotiations on the account of a prisoner exchange were underway, but noted that the exchange was unlikely while they were under investigation. The Russian consul also said that the commandos were likely to go to jail, but not for long. 155 671 553 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

Russian commando Aleksandrov will cooperate with investigation - Lawyer Russian commando Sergeant Alexander Aleksandrov will not appeal the decision of the Shevchenkivskyi Court of Kyiv regarding his arrest. 40 710 106 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

наливайченко Russia does not hold any talks with Ukraine regarding detained commandos - Head of SBU Nalyvaichenko There have been no appeals to Ukraine regarding two detained Russian GRU soldiers on the part of the Russian Federation through the official channels. 17 585 82 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

Russia’s consul visited Russian special forces operatives detained in the Donbas The head of the consular department of the Russian Embassy in Ukraine Alexei Gruby visited the detained Russian servicemen in the hospital. 62 666 339 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

Russian Embassy said when the consul will visit detained Russian commandos: ‘in the nearest future’ Russian consul is planning to visit detained Russian GRU servicemen Alexander Aleksandrov and Yevgeniy Yerofeyev "in the nearest future". 25 288 63 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

Armed man took his infant son hostage during arrest in Kyiv. PHOTO When law enforcement officers tried to arrest a 41-year-old man, he barricaded himself in his Kyiv apartment, took his infant son hostage and threatened to use firearms and explosives in case if police tried to enter. 44 272 125 Incidents

PGO investigates participation of Russian General Staff officials in terrorist activities in Donbas The Prosecutor General’s Office initiated an investigation into the involvement of officials of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation in fighting on the side of the terrorists in the Donbas. 10 700 56 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine Captured Russian special forces operatives