Ukraine has already repatriated more than 9,500 people from Russian captivity — Zelenskyy
Since the start of the full-scale war, Ukraine has repatriated more than 9,500 of its citizens from Russian captivity. Since the beginning of 2026 alone, 1,596 Ukrainians have been returned home.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that another 160 servicemen were released during today’s exchange. Almost all of them had been held captive since 2022, including defenders of Mariupol and Azovstal, as well as soldiers who defended the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, and Sumy regions.
According to the head of state, Ukraine continues to work on the return of all military personnel and civilians who remain in Russian captivity. He also thanked the negotiating team, the military units contributing to the exchange pool, and everyone helping the freed defenders receive medical treatment and undergo rehabilitation.
Source: Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ukraine carried out another prisoner exchange and brought home 160 military personnel who had been held captive by Russia since 2022. Among those released are defenders from various units who fought on the front lines in the fiercest areas of the conflict. All of them are now back on Ukrainian soil and receiving the necessary assistance.
During today’s prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia, nearly all of the released Ukrainian defenders had been held in enemy captivity since 2022.
