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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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TOP news captivity

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

бахмут 4 fighters of Special Operations Forces attacked position of Russians near Bakhmut, 15 invaders were destroyed, 6 were captured, - Butusov The tactical group "Adam" conducted a very instructive battle. Thanks to high-quality planning and management, four fighters of the Special Operations Forces attacked the Russian position near Bakhmut and destroyed 15 enemy soldiers. 43 018 38 Previously in trend: War

війна Russian soldier surrenders after following Ukrainian drone. VIDEO A Ukrainian military Mavic drone helped capture a Russian soldier. The occupier convinced the drone’s operators not to finish him off with ammunition and followed the drone himself to surrender. 14 144 37 Previously in trend: War

азов,евакуація Defenders of Mariupol are alive, process on release doesn't stop for hour, - Ermak Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine continues to work on the release of Ukrainian defenders of Mariupol, as well as two Britons and a Moroccan citizen who were captured by the Russians and threatened with execution. 3 207 37 Previously in trend: War

Operation to Release Hromadske.TV Journalists Involves all Security Agencies All law enforcement agencies are involved in the special operation to release journalist of Hromadske.TV Anastasia Stanko and cameraman Ilia Beskorovainyi. 9 989 37 Incidents

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

полон,окупант Morale and psychological state of enemy decreases. Numerous cases of capture and abandonment of positions are recorded, - General Staff the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine published information that the level of morale and psychological state of enemy personnel is decreasing, which leads to surrender and abandonment of positions. 9 221 37 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine War

армия плен рф Case of detained Russian commandos will got to court in two or three months - SBU SBU promises to complete the re-trial investigation into the case of detained Russian GRU soldiers Yevgeniy Yerofeyev and Alexander Aleksandrov within two to three months. 8 131 37 Previously in trend: Captured Russian special forces operatives

війна 5th prisoner exchange took place. 60 soldiers and 16 civilians are returning home, - Vereshchuk Another exchange of prisoners took place between Ukraine and Russia. 14 393 36 Previously in trend: War

полон,обмін 4,337 Ukrainians are in Russian captivity, including 3,574 military personnel, - Ministry of Reintegration There are 4337 people in captivity in Russia, including 3574 military and 763 civilians. 5 693 36 Previously in trend: War

тандит SBU says 3,136 prisoners released or located, 416 considered missing in Donbas 3,136 Ukrainian prisoners have been released from the terrorists’ captivity or located in the Donbas since the beginning of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. 416 persons still remain unaccounted for. 6 492 36 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

окупант,полонений Counterattack by marines of 36th brigade in Vovchansk: two companies of invaders were almost destroyed, two commanders were captured. VIDEO Marines of the 36th Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Bilynskyi successfully counterattacked the occupiers in Vovchansk, Kharkiv region, and captured six occupants. 36 771 36 Previously in trend: War

One Ukrainian soldier killed, one captured in landmine blast last week, - ATO spokesman One Ukrainian soldier was killed and another captured after their truck tripped a mine on Feb. 25. 15 349 36 Incidents

війна "I went to war to improve my personal life": Russian marine surrenders to captivity in Kursk region. VIDEO In the Kursk region, the Ukrainian military captured another Russian occupier, Roman Shesler, a marine of the 810th Marine Brigade of the Russian Federation. The prisoner admitted that he signed the contract to improve his personal life. After 10 days of training, he was sent to the front, where the command left him without food and water. 8 059 36 Previously in trend: War

Ukrainian volunteer released from militants’ captivity, - Adviser to Deputy Minister of Defense A Ukrainian volunteer who was long held in the Donetsk remand prison has been released. 7 402 35 Incidents

обмін Large exchange of prisoners: Ukraine returned 116 people, including 87 soldiers of Armed Forces, Mariupol defenders, Kherson partisans. VIDEO&PHOTOS Another large exchange of prisoners took place. 16 110 35 Previously in trend: War

пол,юрі British volunteer Urie died in captivity of "DPR" terrorists British volunteer Paul Urie, who was in Ukraine with a humanitarian mission, died in captivity of "DPR" terrorists. 28 086 34 Previously in trend: Occupied territories - Crimea and Donbas War

Ukrainian political prisoners Karpliuk and Klykh's case taken to court Russia's Investigative Committee has sent a criminal case against two Ukrainians Mykola Karpiuk and Stanislav Klykh with approved indictment to court for its further hearing on the merits. 7 077 34 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

війна Russian surrenders to captivity in only his underwear. VIDEO Soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine showed how they captured a Russian soldier using a UAV. The occupier followed the commands and got to the trenches of our fighters. 17 105 34 Previously in trend: War

болчев "In Ministry of Defense, everyone is drinking, partying, but we need to storm Bakhmut", - captured "Wagner" soldier Bolchev. VIDEO Oleksandr Bolchev, a captured mercenary of the "Wagner" PMC, told about the recruitment of prisoners and how former convicts kill Ukrainians at the front. 15 927 34 Previously in trend: War

гур conducted successful special operation "Barynya", which resulted in recruitment of Russian career military. PHOTO Russian military officer Daniil Alfyorov was skilfully recruited by Ukraine’s special services. He has been cooperating with the DIU since June 2023 and convinced 11 Russian servicemen to surrender. 10 492 34 Photo News

Five Donbas Battalion Soldiers Freed from Terrorists’ Captivity - Poroshenko Five more volunteer soldiers from the Donbas battalion were just released from the terrorists’ captivity. 9 586 34 Incidents

донеччина,полонені Soldiers of 21st Motorized Rifle Battalion capture 9 occupants from so-called "PMCs" in Donetsk region. VIDEO On 8 July, a video of Ukrainian soldiers capturing Russian occupiers from so-called "private military companies" was posted online. 22 343 34 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine War

Nadiya Savchenko first planned to be tried and then exchanged, - lawyer commented on Russia’s Justice Ministry statement One of Nadiya Savchenko’s lawyers Nikolai Polozov commented on the statement of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on possibility of the exchange of the Ukrainian pilot for the captured Russian military. Nadiya Savchenko’s defense believes it would not be very easy to exchange her for the Russians. 18 266 34 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

ДПСУ показала фото захисників, які вчора повернулися в Україну з російського полону. What Ukrainian defenders who returned home after being tortured in Russian captivity look like. PHOTOS The State Border Guard Service published photos of Ukrainian soldiers who returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity on 25 June. 24 139 34 Previously in trend: War

Люди, які втекли з полону у Вовчанську Russians take civilians prisoner in Vovchansk community, keep them in basement since 11 May - prosecutor’s office. VIDEO On 11 May, the occupiers took several local residents prisoner in Vovchansk, and some of the prisoners managed to escape on 13 May. The Kharkiv Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into the taking of civilians. 12 830 34 Society

red cross provides condoms to russian prisoners of war Red Cross provides condoms to Russian POWs, while they complain about absence of Olivier salad on camp menu and lack of vitamins in medical unit. VIDEO Representatives of the international humanitarian movement Red Cross provide condoms to Russian POWs held in Ukrainian camps. 58 126 57 Previously in trend: Detention conditions of POWs

зеленський,гутерріш Called on Guterres to use all UN mechanisms for returning Ukrainian prisoners of war - Zelensky Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged UN Secretary-General Antnio Guterres to use all UN mechanisms for the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war to their homeland. 1 924 33 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine War

Україна повернула з російського полону 115 воїнів There are difficulties in returning Azovs from captivity, - Zelenskyy Currently, there are difficulties in the return of the Azovs from Russian captivity. 6 145 33

Ukraine gave "DPR" list of 25 hostages, ready to swap them for 50 militants, - MP Iryna Herashchenko Ukraine suggests swapping 25 "DPR"-held hostages for 50 militants before Easter. 5 368 33 Ukrainian Politics

Pro-Russian militants block liberation of 25 Ukrainian prisoners from captivity – Iryna Herashchenko Those soldiers who have survived the hell of the Donetsk airport are still in the terrorists’ captivity. 6 082 32 Ukrainian Politics

російський полонений Luhansk Guard leader in captivity: interview with active participant in 2014 pro-Russian riots. VIDEO A Russian invader has surrendered to the soldiers of the Freedom Battalion of the 4th Brigade of the National Guard. It is Herman Prokopiv, an active participant in the pro-Russian riots of 2014. He was the one who removed Ukrainian flags from administrative buildings in Luhansk and hung Russian tricolors. 15 594 32 Previously in trend: War

полонений Soldiers of 225th SAB captured occupier in Kursk direction: "My entire platoon was killed, no one left". VIDEO The soldiers of the 225th Separate Assault Battalion replenished the exchange fund in the Kursk direction and captured the invader. 14 234 32 Previously in trend: War

плен освобождение михаил кучевский Engineer unit soldier of Ukrainian Army Kuchevskyi released from militants' captivity, - Adviser to Defense Minister Budyk. PHOTOS Adviser to Defense Minister Vasyl Budyk informed of release from the militants captivity of a soldier from an engineer unit of the Ukrainian Army Mykhailo Ivanovych Kuchevskyi. 38 636 32 Society

Ukraine to show prisoners unwilling to return to occupied Donbas under swap program, - SBU In the presence of human rights defenders and international observers in Minsk, the Ukrainian negotiators intend to show persons charged with grave crimes against Ukraine who refuse to be taken to the separatist-held territory. 15 908 32 Incidents

верещук More than 1.5 thousand civilians are in Russian captivity - Vereshchuk There are more than 1.5 thousand Ukrainian civilians in Russian captivity who are not prisoners of war and must be released. 2 002 32 Previously in trend: War

полонені 7 soldiers of 59th Brigade captured 22 Russian attack aircraft near Avdiivka! A brilliant victory of Vadym Sukharevskyi’s brigade. VIDEO Ukrainian soldiers defeated a Russian assault unit near Avdiivka that had attacked our positions, burned military equipment and killed most of Russian soldiers. During the battle, 7 Ukrainian soldiers captured 22 Russian soldiers from a special assault unit. 36 098 31 Previously in trend: War

війна Captured Russian commander: "We have way out from Donbas only to kingdom come". VIDEO Nikolay Sur is a lieutenant in the Russian Armed Forces, another prisoner of war captured in battle by the soldiers of the 425th separate assault battalion "Skala" (Cliff). A native of Donetsk, Ukraine, he first took up arms in September 2015 when he was released from prison. In February 2024, he was mobilised. When he was serving near Novoazovsk and living in a pigsty, he was declared to have left the military unit without authorization and was assigned to the Storm Z unit.  15 400 31 Previously in trend: War

Оборона Азовсталі у Маріуполі More than 1,900 soldiers from "Azovstal" are still in Russian captivity Today, May 20, is the second anniversary of Mariupol defenders leaving Azovstal. However, more than 1,900 of them are still in Russian captivity. 3 406 30 Previously in trend: War

переговорщики Filatov: 5 Ukrainian Servicemen and an Activist were Released from Terrorists’ Captivity. VIDEO Negotiating Group released another six men on Tuesday who were captured by the insurgents in the area of anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine. 19 554 30 Incidents

рф Russians near Donetsk executed Ukrainians who tried to surrender, - US special envoy Van Shaak The United States has reliable information that the Russian military executed Ukrainians who tried to surrender in Donetsk. 32 621 30 Previously in trend: War

рф,мелітополь In Melitopol, during occupation, more than housand people were captured by Russians, - Mayor Fedorov During the year, more than 1,000 residents of Melitopol were captured by the Russian invaders. 2 182 30 Previously in trend: War

POW Chernyshov interview with Butusov Plus channel Battle for Tetkino: eight Russians surrendered. VIDEO Kursk buffer zone: Russian troops preserved their lives by surrendering. One of them – grenade launcher assistant and rifleman Vladislav Chernyshev. 7 005 30 Previously in trend: Combat operations in the Kursk region

A soldier with his throat cut escaped from Russian captivity Russians tortured and killed group of Ukrainian soldiers: one of them crawled back to his comrades with his throat cut. PHOTO 33-year-old National Guard soldier Vladyslav survived torture by Russian occupiers, who slit his throat and threw him into a pit. 24 494 78 Previously in trend: War crimes of Russia

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

полонений Soldiers of Territorial defense Forces of Ivano-Frankivsk region captured Russian Guardsmen. VIDEO&PHOTOS Soldiers of the 102nd separate brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of the Ivano-Frankivsk Region during the offensive in the Kharkiv Region captured servicemen of the Russian Guard. 33 372 30 War in Ukraine

полонені Ukraine returned another 45 soldiers of Armed Forces from captivity. VIDEO&PHOTOS Another exchange of prisoners took place, and it was possible to return 45 soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In addition, the bodies of two fallen defenders were returned. 10 327 29 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine War

National Guard soldier Petrovskyi before and after Russian captivity 1037 days and minus 40 kilograms: National Guard soldier Petrovskyi before and after Russian captivity. PHOTO During his time in Russian captivity, National Guard soldier Ivan Petrovskyi lost 40 kilograms. 11 557 39 Previously in trend: Prisoner swap