Prisoner exchange

Prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia are one of the key humanitarian aspects of the war that has been going on since 2014. After the occupation of Crimea and the start of the war in Donbas, the return of Ukrainian servicemen, civilian hostages and political prisoners became a constant topic of domestic and international politics. The first large-scale exchanges took place as early as 2014–2015 within the framework of the Minsk agreements.

High-profile exchanges attracted special attention – in particular, the release of director Oleg Sentsov in 2019 and of the Ukrainian sailors captured when Russia blocked the Kerch Strait.

Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine in February 2022 sharply increased the number of prisoners. Under these conditions, exchanges became regular, although extremely difficult given the lack of transparency on the Russian side, the brutal conditions in which prisoners are held and Russia's political manipulation of the process.

One of the most high-profile exchanges took place in September 2022, when Ukraine brought the defenders of Mariupol back from Russian captivity, including the commanders from "Azovstal", in exchange for Vladimir Putin's kum – the pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk, who at the time was under investigation in Ukraine for high treason. The return of the "Azovstal" defenders became a symbol of humanity, a victory of diplomacy and respect for those who held the defense of Mariupol to the last.

The exchanges continue, and society closely follows every report of prisoners returning home – as a symbol of hope and resilience.

As of June 5, 2026, the 75th exchange had taken place, bringing 186 Ukrainians home.