Ukraine returns 270 captives, including Mariupol defenders and Olenivka terroristic attack survivors
This marks the third stage of a combined prisoner exchange that began on August 19.
Those released include service members from various units of the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine. Soldiers returning home belong to:
A rescuer from the State Emergency Service is also among the released.
Some of the military personnel were captured as early as 2018 and 2020. However, the majority had been held in captivity since 2022.
Among those returned are defenders who fought on the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, and Chernihiv fronts. Defenders of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant also returned home.
A particularly large number of the released defenders fought in Mariupol. In addition, five Ukrainians who returned in this exchange survived the Russian terrorist attack in Olenivka in July 2022.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War added that a significant portion of the released military personnel faced criminal prosecution by Russia. The occupiers leveled fabricated charges against them and, in violation of international law, sentenced them to various prison terms, including life imprisonment.
Nine critically ill Ukrainians are among those who returned.
The Headquarters emphasized that following their release, all military and civilian returnees will undergo medical examinations, receive necessary medical treatment, and be provided with essential items. They will also receive appropriate payments, rehabilitation, and assistance with reintegration into social life after prolonged isolation in Russian captivity.
The Coordination Headquarters thanked the United States of America and the United Arab Emirates for their assistance in organizing the exchange.
Separate recognition was given to the efforts that led to the release of 74-year-old Stephen Hubbard, an English language teacher from Izium, whom the Russians unlawfully sentenced and tortured.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyi stressed that Ukraine continues to search for all its citizens remaining in captivity and thanked everyone working on the exchanges.
He also acknowledged the role of Ukrainian military personnel on the front line, who replenish the exchange fund and help bring their compatriots home.
Background
On August 24, Ukraine returned ten service members from captivity via Belarus. This was a special exchange stage conducted under the terms of the parties' agreements.
All the released service members defended Ukraine on the Donetsk axis. Until their return from captivity, they were listed as missing in action. Two soldiers had been missing since 2024, and eight others since 2025.
On August 19, Ukraine conducted another prisoner exchange, returning 103 service members from Russian captivity. Among those released were soldiers with injuries and severe illnesses.
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24 of October 2026
