Seven Ukrainian civilians have returned home after being held captive by Russia since 2022. Their release was facilitated through humanitarian efforts, particularly involving Yana Lantratova, the new Russian Human Rights Commissioner, and support from various Ukrainian agencies including the Security Service of Ukraine and the coordination headquarters for prisoner treatment.
The freed individuals, aged between 35 and 66, were illegally detained by Russian forces during the occupation of Mariupol and regions such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk. Some individuals were taken from their homes, including one man who was abducted simply because his sons serve in the Ukrainian armed forces. Another was seized while commuting to work on the day of the Russian invasion.
Among those freed is a volunteer who had joined a brigade led by Ukrainian volunteer and paramedic Yulia Paievska, known by her call sign Taira, in Mariupol. Notably, Taira was previously released in an earlier exchange.
Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets discussed the recent exchange, which occurred just before the meeting with Lantratova, highlighting ongoing negotiations surrounding the release of prisoners.
Background
- In January 2026, Lubinets revealed in an interview that approximately 1,800 Ukrainian citizens are currently verified to be in Russian captivity.
- On June 26, Ukraine conducted a prisoner exchange with Russia, bringing home 160 defenders aged 26 to 66, all held since 2022. This followed a previous exchange on June 5, where 186 individuals, including 185 servicemen and one civilian, were returned to Ukraine.
