Russian captivity Archives - Page 2 of 3

ukraine swaps 103 pows including 23 azovstal defenders azov brigade ukrainian swapped 14 september 2024 telegram/zelenskiy official 855998c4-b064-440d-93d3-9112a2cdb9e7

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Ukraine’s spy agency seeks for sleeper agents among freed prisoners as Russia tries to brainwash and recruit them

Ukrainian counterintelligence officers analyze every returning prisoner, knowing Russian FSB agents spent months in torture chambers attempting psychological manipulation.

byOlena Mukhina

ap ukrainian pow serhii hryhoriev died russian prison—he one over 200 portrait next grave pyriatyn after return custody 9 2025 photo/alex babenko b4b324c3f2dabff8d89b51996231c14e family 59-year-old soldier spent months holding hope

5 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

AP: Ukrainian POW Serhii Hryhoriev died in Russian prison—he is one of over 200

The tragic toll highlights abuse and neglect in Russian detention facilities, according to Ukrainian and international reports.

byYuri Zoria

azov soldiers freed 1000-for-1000 prisoner swap smoke rising over azovstal - last ukrainian stronghold mariupol 2022 video militarnyi ukraine's recent large-scale exchange russia did include any members 12th special operations

3 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

No Azov soldiers freed in 1000-for-1000 prisoner swap

More than 800 soldiers of the Ukrainian National Guard's Azov unit remain in Russian captivity since 2022.

byYuri Zoria

zelenskyy “303 defenders home” after final stage 1000-for-1000 prisoner exchange ukrainian soldiers returned home during 25 2025 pow russia c44c3212-56ac-455c-9982-4358cf399ef0 ukraine completed third major agreement bringing 303 president volodymyr confirmed

3 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Zelenskyy: “303 defenders are home” after final stage of 1000-for-1000 prisoner exchange

Soldiers from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and more are now receiving medical aid and support. Among the freed are National Guard members, border guards, and Mariupol defenders.

byYuri Zoria

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Ukrainian defenders who survived battle of Kyiv and over 1,000 days in Russian captivity return home in largest prisoner swap of war

This marks the first step in a deal to trade 1000 lives for 1000 between Ukraine and Russia, achieved in Turkiye.

byOlena Mukhina

On 6 May, Ukraine returned 205 prisoners of war (POWs) home.

3 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

205 Ukrainian soldiers return home after years in Russian captivity

Among the released are defenders of the besieged and occupied in 2022 city of Mariupol.

byVira Kravchuk

ukrainian journalist viktoria roshchyna confirmed dead russian captivity victoria rfe/rl freelance who had previously worked other prominent media outlets

3 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Ukraine returns body of journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna tortured in Russian captivity

Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna's remains showed signs of electric shock torture and severe weight loss. However, the exact cause of death has not been determined

byMaria Tril

4 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Two Ukrainian OSCE staff remain in Russian captivity after three years

Two Ukrainian citizens working for the OSCE monitoring mission have been sentenced to 13 years and face deportation to Russia on fabricated espionage charges.

byMaria Tril

A Ukrainian National Guardsman lost 40 kg (88.1 lb) after spending nearly three years in Russian captivity.

4 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Ukrainian POW lost 40 kg in Russian captivity proving Russia’s human rights violations

Ivan Petrovsky defended Mariupol in the early months of Russia's full-scale invasion and was captured in May 2022.

byVira Kravchuk

4 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

“She couldn’t even lift her head”: Witness describes Roshchyna’s condition in Russian prison

A new investigation has uncovered that Russian captors tortured journalist Victoria Roshchyna with knives and electric shocks; her weight fell to 30 kilograms before her death.

byMaria Tril

Ukraine returned 150 soldiers from Russian captivity in a new prisoner exchange on 5 February. Source: Zelenskyy Telegram

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

4,131 people freed from Russian captivity, Ukraine says

Ukraine secured the return of 150 defenders on Monday, including many who spent over two and a half years in Russian captivity.

byMaria Tril

3 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Ukraine returned 150 defenders from Russian captivity, some held over 2 years

"For them and their families, this day carries more weight than all the years of waiting," President Zelenskyy said.

byVira Kravchuk

Australian teacher-turned-soldier Oscar Jenkins who fought on the Ukrainian side and was captured by the Russians.

3 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Australian POW who was feared dead may be alive in Russian captivity

After weeks of speculation about death following a disturbing interrogation video, Australian Prime Minister acknowledged receiving Russian diplomatic notification that Oscar Jenkins remains alive in detention.

byVira Kravchuk

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Abducted Ukrainain mayor of town in Zaporizhzhia Oblast dies in Russian captivity

Russian forces captured the mayor of Dniprorudne in late February 2022, leading to his eventual death in captivity.

byMaria Tril

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Former British soldier fighting for Ukraine captured by Russia in Kursk

A 22-year-old former British Army signalman has been captured by Russian forces while fighting for Ukraine's International Legion in the Kursk Oblast.

byMaria Tril

95 Ukrainian POWs return from Russian captivity, 19 October.

4 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

95 Ukrainian defenders return from Russian captivity, including Azov fighters and POWs facing life sentences

Among those released was Maksym Butkevych, a Ukrainian human rights activist and serviceman, who was captured near Luhansk in 2022 and sentenced to 13 years in Russia. The exchange also saw the return of Vladyslav Andrianov, an Azov fighter who survived the Olenivka prison massacre and faced a 25-year sentence in Russia.

byVira Kravchuk

ukraine probes execution 16 pows russian troops pokrovsk sector september 30 video ukrainian forces donetsk oblast

2 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

“Real nature of Kremlin regime:” EU condemns Russian glorification of increasing Ukrainian POW executions

Recent incidents of large-scale killings of unarmed Ukrainian soldiers expose what the EU describes as "the real nature of the regime in the Kremlin."

byVira Kravchuk

3 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna confirmed dead in Russian captivity

Roshchyna, a journalist working with RFE/RL, went missing in August 2023 while traveling to occupied territories and was slated for a prisoner exchange.

byYuri Zoria

5 minute read

People of Ukraine

Mariupol Defender reclaims voice and spirit after 2.5 years in Russian captivity

Ukrainian Marine Yura Hulchuk captured hearts nationwide after his release from Russian captivity, arriving home unable to speak or respond emotionally to his mother’s tearful embrace. Now, Yura has finally broken his silence and is making significant progress in his recovery.

byChristine Chraibi

3 minute read

Latest news Ukraine

“I broke everyone and will do the same to you”: Russian authorities torture Ukrainians with a sense of impunity

A UN commission has found that Russian forces are systematically using sexual violence as a form of torture against Ukrainian prisoners. The report highlights a disturbing pattern of abuse, with male detainees particularly targeted in custody, while women in Russian-controlled villages face heightened risk of rape.

byVira Kravchuk