10 Ukrainian soldiers believed missing return home from Russian captivity in 'special exchange'
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Ukraine brought home 10 service members previously considered missing in action from Russian captivity in a "special exchange" via Belarus on Aug. 24, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced, as Ukraine marked its Independence Day.
The service members served in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and National Guard and fought on the Donetsk sector of the front line, Zelensky said.
Two had been considered missing since 2024, while the other eight had been missing since 2025, Ukraine's Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets said. The group included sergeants, soldiers and sailors, Lubinets added.
"It is very important that we managed to bring them back," Zelensky said.
"We remember every man and woman who remains in captivity. We are searching for every name. And we will do everything to free them and bring them home," he added.
The status of missing Ukrainian service members can remain unresolved for months or years, in part because intense fighting, Russian occupation, and continued attacks can prevent Ukrainian forces from recovering bodies from the battlefield and conducting DNA identification. Some of those listed as missing can later found to be alive in Russian captivity.
The exchange comes five days after Ukraine brought home 103 prisoners of war from Russian captivity on Aug. 19. Those released included service members from the Armed Forces, State Border Guard Service, National Guard, Navy, and Territorial Defense Forces.
Ukraine and Russia have also continued repatriating the bodies of fallen soldiers despite a broader diplomatic process that has largely stalled.
Ukraine repatriated on Aug. 13 the bodies of 261 people that Russia claimed were Ukrainian service members. Ukrainian investigators and forensic experts were tasked with identifying the remains.
