Ukraine managed to establish a new format for returning severely wounded and ill prisoners of war (POWs), resulting in the repatriation of 25 Ukrainians on 15 January, according to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (KSHPPV).
According to the UN, over 95% of Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia have been subjected to torture, including beatings with metal rods, severe electric shocks, and enforced nudity, actions she describes as “widespread and systematic” and constituting war crimes. In contrast, Ukrainian authorities provide unrestricted access to detention facilities for Russian POWs, maintaining conditions that comply with humanitarian law.
The exchange prioritized severely wounded and ill prisoners in accordance with the Third Geneva Convention. Several wounded Ukrainian service members were also retrieved from Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
The released prisoners, aged 24 to 60, suffered from various combat injuries including vision loss, amputations, and complex gunshot wounds. Many developed serious health conditions such as tuberculosis, cancer, and gangrene during their captivity.
The group includes soldiers, sailors, and sergeants who served in various military branches, including the National Guard, Armed Forces, Territorial Defense, Navy, and State Border Guard Service. They defended positions in Mariupol’s Azovstal plant, as well as in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk Oblasts.
One civilian who was held in Kyiv Oblast was also freed.
“We won’t stop until we bring everyone back,” President Zelenskyy stated, confirming that all returnees will receive necessary medical care.
The United Arab Emirates assisted in facilitating the mutual repatriation, which means Russia also received 25 of its POWs.
In total, since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the Coordination Headquarters has managed to free 3,981 Ukrainians from captivity.
Earlier, Ukraine criticized a recent United Nations (UN) report that alleges both Ukrainian and Russian forces have mistreated prisoners of war.
Ukrainian Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets emphasized that all Ukrainian prisoners released from Russian captivity reported torture and other crimes, including sexual abuse, while instances involving Russian POWs in Ukrainian custody were isolated and addressed through investigations.
The previous prisoner of war (POW) exchange between Ukraine and Russia occurred on 30 December 2024. In this exchange, Ukraine secured the release of 189 individuals, including military personnel and civilians, while Russia received 150 servicemen. The United Arab Emirates again facilitated this swap.
Related:
- Ukraine criticizes UN report on POW treatment as hundreds return from Russian captivity with life-threatening injuries
- Mariupol Defender reclaims voice and spirit after 2.5 years in Russian captivity
- “I broke everyone and will do the same to you”: Russian authorities torture Ukrainians with a sense of impunity
- Russia reportedly sentences seven Ukrainian POWs to 16-year terms in trial over Kursk incursion
