Ukraine calls on Moscow to provide list of POWs ready for swap
Ukrainian human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said on Nov. 3 that Ukraine remains willing to receive its citizens and blamed Russia for slowing down the exchanges.
Prisoner exchange
Released activist Butkevych says prisoner swap was complete surprise
"Yesterday morning, after the inspection, they told me that I was leaving in half an hour, but they didn't tell me where. ... We found out about the exchange by accident on the way."
Kursk Oblast conscripts among Russians returned in POW exchange, Russian organization says
The returned prisoners also reportedly included some mobilized Russian fighters and contract soldiers, including kadyrovtsy, the notoriously ruthless troops named for Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov.
Azov soldiers, human rights activist Butkevych among those returned in 190-person prisoner swap
Ukraine and Russia on Oct. 18 conducted their 58th prisoner exchange, involving 190 prisoners of war, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced.
Opinion: Silent victims of sexual violence, Ukraine’s male POWs deserve real support
This article contains descriptions of physical and sexual violence, which may be disturbing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised. Forced nudity during “welcome beatings,” naked “crouch walking,” and gratuitous stripping and body cavity searches are but a few examples of the abuse Viktor Lakhno, 26, a former prisoner of
103 Ukrainian POWs returned from Russian captivity, including 23 Azov fighters
"The vast majority of those released are people who had been held (in captivity) since the first days of the war,” said Ukraine's Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets in a statement.
49 Ukrainians released from Russian captivity
Ukraine brought back 49 Ukrainian defenders and civilians from Russian captivity on Sept. 13, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
August 24 prisoner exchange did not include any Azov soldiers, brigade commander says
Azov Regiment commander Denys Prokopenko criticized the recent prisoner exchange, expressing disappointment that none of the Azov fighters, who have been in Russian captivity for over two years, were included.
115 Ukrainian soldiers returned from Russian captivity, Zelensky confirms
Among those brought back were soldiers from the National Guard, army, navy, and the State Border Guard Service.
To help Russian opposition, first save Ukraine, released prisoner Yashin says
"If you want to help the Russian opposition and Russian society and Russia as a whole, save Ukraine from Putin," Ilya Yashin said in a livestream shortly after his release in a historic prisoner exchange.
Trump congratulates Putin for Russia-US prisoner exchange
At a Georgia rally on Aug. 3, Donald Trump congratulated Russian dictator Vladimir Putin for the historic prisoner exchange arranged by U.S. President Joe Biden that freed 16 people wrongfully imprisoned in Russia, including the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
Released in prisoner swap, Ilya Yashin vows to return to Russia
Speaking to reporters at a press conference in Bonn, Germany, Yashin said he had fought against being released, as a life in exile would effectively end his political opposition work in Russia.
Belarus Weekly: Lukashenko releases German hostage as part of historic prisoner swap
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko pardons German citizen facing death penalty in Belarus as part of a major prisoner swap between Moscow, Washington and Berlin. Security concerns prompt the European Commission to ask Hungary to clarify its decision to ease immigration requirements for Russian and Belarusian citizens. Lukashenko meets Vladimir Putin
Trump criticizes Russia-US prisoner swap as 'win for Putin'
The historic Aug. 1 prisoner swap was a "win for Putin," Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump claimed during an interview with Fox Business on Aug. 2.
Murderer freed in prisoner swap is FSB agent, Kremlin confirms
A German court sentenced Vadim Krasikov to life imprisonment in 2021 for the murder of Zelimkhan "Tornike" Khangoshvili in 2019.
Talks on historic prisoner swap between West, Russia took over 2 years, Reuters reports
The Kremlin was ready to start talks as early as February 2022 after the arrest of American basketball player Brittney Griner, who was jailed for nine years for possession of a vape with hashish oil, Reuters wrote, citing U.S. officials.
Freed U.S. prisoners arrive in Maryland, greeted by Biden, Harris
Freed U.S. prisoners arrived in D.C. during the late hours of Aug.1, where they were greeted by U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
No link between US-Russia prisoner swap and war in Ukraine, Sullivan says
"We see those operating on the separate tracks. One is really about the practical issue of producing this exchange. The other is a much more complex question where the Ukrainians will be in the lead and the United States will consult closely with all of our allies to support them when they are prepared to step forward and engage in that kind of diplomacy," U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.
Killers, spies and smugglers – the Russians released in historic prisoner swap
Kremlin's assassin, Vadim Krasikov, has been imprisoned in Germany since 2021 after being given a life sentence for murdering Zelimkhan Khangoshvili.
White House: US wanted Navalny to be part of prisoner exchange
"We had been working with our partners on a deal that would have included Alexei Navalny. Unfortunately, he died," Sullivan said.
Who was released from Russian prisons in historic swap?
Russian activists, journalists, and dual citizens are among those who have been freed.
Gershkovich, Whelan, Kara-Murza released in major prisoner swap between Russia, West
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan are being released by Russia in a multi-country prisoner exchange, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 1, citing undisclosed sources.
Ukraine seeks to exchange pro-Russian collaborators for civilian hostages under new initiative
"We are talking about people who do not consider Ukraine, European democratic values, or our state constitution theirs, but consider the aggressor state, Russia, their country. And they want to get there," Ukraine's military intelligence spokesperson Andrii Yusov said.
Ukraine war latest: Kyiv brings back 95 POWs from Russian captivity
Key developments on July 17: * 95 Ukrainian POWs released from Russian captivity * Fighting in Krynky ongoing, but Ukrainian positions 'completely destroyed' * Citing security concerns, Russian authorities restrict entry to border areas of Belgorod Oblast * Germany to halve Ukraine military aid, Reuters reports * Ukraine lists 42,000 citizens as missing persons
Kyiv refuses to release first Russian soldier convicted of war crimes in POW exchange
Ukraine has no plans currently to exchange Vadim Shishimarin — the first Russian soldier convicted of war crimes after the start of the full-scale invasion — in a prisoner swap with Moscow, the Prosecutor General's Office said.
Ombudsman: More than 14,000 Ukrainian civilians in Russian captivity
More than 14,000 Ukrainian civilians are being held in Russian captivity, Ukraine's Chief Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on June 29.
High-profile captives, kept in Russian prisons for years, freed in prisoner swap
Ukraine has brought back 10 people from Russian captivity, including Crimean Tatar activist Nariman Dzhelial, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 28.
Ukraine brings back 90 POWs from Russian captivity
The released captives include 32 personnel of the National Guard, including those who defended the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, 18 border guards, 17 personnel of the Navy, 15 soldiers of the Armed Forces as well as eight of the territorial defense, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported.
Russia not interested in all-for-all POW exchange, Ukraine's ombudsman says
"If the Russians were interested in returning their prisoners of war, we would have done it long ago. It seems that they simply do not need them," Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on June 15.
75 Ukrainian prisoners brought back from Russian captivity
The number includes service personnel of the Armed Forces and the National Guard, border guards, and four civilians.
The Counteroffensive: Inside Ukraine's prisoner of war negotiations with Russia
Editor’s Note: This article was published by the twice-weekly newsletter “The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak” on May 12, 2024, and has been re-published by the Kyiv Independent with permission. To subscribe to "The Counteroffensive," click here. Prisoner negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are one of the many things obscured
Ukraine pins hopes on international pressure to conduct all-for-all prisoner exchange
As Ukraine prepares for a major peace summit in June, President Volodymyr Zelensky sees an opportunity to free all Ukrainian prisoners from Russia before the end of the war. After the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has seized thousands of Ukrainians, from soldiers to children, adding them to the
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