At least 3,392 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians remain in Russian captivity as of Jan. 3, according to Alyona Verbytska, the President’s Commissioner for Protecting Defenders Rights. These are the numbers that Russia has officially confirmed, she said.
Previous reports said that nearly 3,400 Ukrainian soldiers were being held prisoners by Russia. In a comment to the Suspilne media outlet, Verbytska clarified that the number includes civilians.
The official also said that at least 15,000 Ukrainians, including military and civilians, are considered missing.
Verbytska earlier said in an interview with the German media outlet RND that it's not clear what happened to the missing people. They could have also gotten in Russian captivity, or could have been forcefully deported to Russia, or killed, she said.
Ukraine retrieved nearly 1,600 prisoners of war in 2022, according to the Ministry for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories.
In the recent prisoner exchange on Dec. 31, 140 Ukrainians were freed from Russian captivity, according to the Head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak.
