Ukraine Frees Over 5,850 Prisoners from Russian Captivity

Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukraine has successfully repatriated 5,857 people from Russian captivity through prisoner exchanges, with an additional 555 released outside of these swaps, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced. Over 1,000 Ukrainian servicemen have been freed under agreements reached during peace talks in Istanbul, where multiple rounds of negotiations led to ongoing prisoner swaps involving hundreds of detainees, including wounded personnel and civilians. Despite these efforts, around 80 Ukrainian prisoners of war remain held in the Olenivka correctional colony, site of a deadly Russian attack in July 2022, and Ukraine continues to press for their release along with civilians detained in Russia. Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of continuing exchanges, thoroughly verifying every detainee's status, and improving medical treatment and support for released prisoners. Ukraine has proposed high-level talks involving Turkish President Recep Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump to further facilitate negotiations. The issue remains critical as Ukraine accuses Russia of systematic torture and illegal detention of thousands of Ukrainians, while Moscow denies responsibility for the Olenivka attack and rejects Ukraine's call for an all-for-all prisoner exchange.