Ukraine brings 103 more defenders home from Russian captivity
Photo: A prisoner exchange took place between Ukraine and Russia (Getty Images)
Ukraine and Russia carried out a prisoner exchange, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
103 Ukrainians have returned from Russian captivity. In exchange, Ukraine handed over 103 captured Russian soldiers to Russia.
"Today, 103 Ukrainian warriors are returning home from Russian captivity. They are defenders from the Armed Forces, the State Border Guard Service, and the National Guard," the President says.
Source: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Source: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
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Source: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Source: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
.jpg)
Source: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
.jpg)
Source: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Source: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
.jpg)
Source: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Source: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Among those released are also soldiers who defended Ukraine in the following regions:
- Mariupol
- Donetsk
- Luhansk
- Kharkiv
- Zaporizhzhia
- Kherson
- Dnipro
- Sumy.
The Coordination Headquarters adds that the youngest defender freed today was born in 2000. The oldest is 59 years old.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament's Commissioner for Human Rights, posts a video of the first comments from those released from captivity.
Ukraine brings 103 more defenders home from Russian captivity
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) August 19, 2026
: Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament's Commissioner for Human Rights pic.twitter.com/kIxOdSGMf2
The men can hardly believe they are already on their home soil. With tears in their eyes, they call their families to tell them they are coming home.
In Russia, they began fattening up the captives before the exchange to conceal the actual conditions of their detention. This is also a form of torture, according to the Ukrainian military personnel and civilians released from captivity.
Recently, Russia launched a new disinformation campaign regarding prisoner-of-war exchanges. Russian officials published lists of Ukrainian prisoners whom Kyiv allegedly refused to take back from captivity.
In response, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets stated that Ukraine wanted to bring back all of its citizens without exception.
