Ukrainian war prisoners are the most valuable, which Russia currently has to offer. Thousands are still detained in Putin prisons. At the weekend, 1000 of them have been released in the largest exchange of prisoners so far since the beginning of the war. Emotional photos of soldiers shaved in bald, who after years of captivity again found themselves in the arms of their families, circulated the whole world.
However, exactly at the same time when the exchange took place, Putin ordered the massive attack on Ukrainian cities, Using about 300 drones and 70 rockets. On the one hand, a good gesture in the form of exchanging prisoners, on the other, brutal terror from the air: behind this is the wicked calculation of the Kremlin.
It is logical that Ukraine wants to bring its detained soldiers home. Nine out of ten are tortured in Putin's prisons, and the emaciated returning tell terrifying stories, such as the one about the cabbage leaf in boiling water, which was their only meal during the day. Burned throat or further hunger: they had a choice of torment or death.
Understandably, therefore, that Wołodymyr Zelnski is constantly encouraging his soldiers on the front that they would capture Russian invaders alive as far as possible to gain a tender card in this way. For a long time, the President of Ukraine has been proposing Moscow to exchange prisoners of war on the principle of “everyone for all”. However, Moscow rejects this proposal.
PAP/EPA/STRINGER/PAP
Return of Ukrainian prisoners of war to the country, May 25, 2025.
Russia has no real interest in bringing its prisoners of war home. Intelligence officers explained this in an interview with Blick during a visit to the only prisoner -of -war camp in a secret place in West Ukraine in November 2023.
First of all, many of the detainees are criminals who went to war only because of the promise of pardon. Nobody wants them to move the streets freely after returning to Russia.
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Secondly, the captured Russian soldiers already realized that The stories of the Nazi regime in Ukraine are sucked from the finger And that it is their own regime in the country that spreads these fairy tales. During a visit to the camp, one of the Russian prisoners told Blick: I came here to kill the Nazis. But I didn't find any. They treat us well.
Trump is fooled
Despite this, Vladimir Putin approved a record exchange at the weekend. The reason: he knows that thanks to this, before the US President Donald Trump, he can give the impression that he is ready to negotiate and thus not completely abandon diplomacy – no matter how brutally he continues his invasive war.
The attention maneuver worked. Trump congratulated the agreement on Friday – before it was actually concluded. “Can this lead to something great?” Trump asked on Truth Social.
Putin gave him the answer from Saturday to Sunday, conducting the hardest attacks since the beginning of the war. Moscow is just as far from ready to suspend weapons as always. However, thanks to the exchange of prisoners, Russia now has 1000 additional, experienced soldiers in its ranks, who – as Russian deserters and prisoners on the Ukrainian side describe it – will be sent back to the front as soon as possible.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
