Prisoner exchange: Defenders from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Territorial Defense Forces, the National Guard of Ukraine, and the State Border Guard Service have returned home
Today, May 15, the 74th prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia took place, during which 205 Ukrainian servicemen returned home.
This was reported by Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada’s Commissioner for Human Rights.
Among those released were servicemen from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Territorial Defense Forces, the National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service, as well as fighters from the Azov Regiment.
According to Lubinets, 193 of the 205 released had been captured back in 2022, and a significant portion of them are defenders of Mariupol and Azovstal. He noted that one servicemember, who had previously been convicted in Russia and later pardoned, was returned separately.
The returned defenders have serious injuries, compromised health, and psychological consequences from their time in captivity. Some of them were evacuated from Azovstal while already wounded. All of them will require long-term rehabilitation, as well as the restoration of their documents and access to banking services.
Among those released are representatives of various branches of the military, including airborne assault, mechanized, and marine units. Returning home are both enlisted personnel and sergeants, as well as officers. All servicemen were confirmed as prisoners of war through the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The youngest of those released is 21 years old, and the oldest is 62. Two servicemen are celebrating or will soon celebrate their birthdays, and in total, 21 defenders have or will have their birthdays in May. Among those released are also five people with the same last name.
Lubinec emphasized that the exchange took place on International Family Day, so on this day, 205 Ukrainian families were able to reunite with their loved ones.
This prisoner exchange is special in that 95% of those who returned home today were taken prisoner in 2022 (193 defenders out of 205), – Ombudsman Lubinets. This is a large portion of the defenders of Mariupol, particularly those from “Azovstal.”
We also managed to bring back a defender who was sentenced in… pic.twitter.com/28nrg9JBsy— GLAVKOM (@GLAVCOM_UA) May 15, 2026
Ukraine and Russia carried out a prisoner-of-war exchange on a 205-for-205 basis, according to preliminary data from reports by the Russian side and Telegram channels. Official details regarding the location, time, and lists of participants are currently being clarified.
Ukraine has managed to repatriate over 9,000 of its citizens from Russian captivity, including both military personnel and hundreds of civilians. This was reported by Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, who emphasized that efforts to bring people home are ongoing.
In 2025, Ukraine recorded a record number of civilian deaths since the start of the full-scale war. According to official data, Russia remains the biggest violator of human rights, and the number of victims and the extent of destruction continue to rise.
