The return of Mariupol's defenders from captivity remains the most difficult issue, says Luyinets
The issue of releasing Mariupol defenders from Russian captivity remains the most difficult aspect of the prisoner exchange process.
This was stated by the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, during a television broadcast.
According to him, 193 of the 205 Ukrainian defenders who returned to Ukraine during Friday’s exchange had been in captivity since 2022, and a significant portion of them were defenders of Mariupol.
The Ombudsman emphasized the critical condition of those released.
“They have all lost weight. Detention conditions on the territory of the Russian Federation remain extremely poor. The men are not receiving enough food, and no special medical care is provided, so they all went straight to the hospital,” Lubinets said.
He added that the repatriation process remains complex and depends on negotiations with the Russian side, and there is no complete certainty that the agreements will be fulfilled.
“Indeed, this is the first stage, at least from the Ukrainian side. That is how we view it. We have provided all the information requested of us by our intermediaries, our partners—the United States and the United Arab Emirates,” he noted.
Separately, Lubinets reported that four civilians have also returned home, including an 86-year-old Ukrainian woman who, according to him, had previously been forcibly taken from the Sumy region to Russia.
Also, during the handover process, the parties to the exchange agreed to deliver 828 letters from relatives to Ukrainian prisoners of war.
“The Russians agreed to take 828 letters from us. I hope they will be delivered as quickly as possible to our boys who remain in captivity,” the ombudsman said.
He emphasized that Ukraine insists on the priority return of the seriously wounded, the gravely ill, and those who have been in captivity since 2022, and that these demands are supported by international mediators.
On May 15, the 74th prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia took place, during which 205 Ukrainian servicemen returned home.
Ukraine and Russia conducted 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 more than 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.
