(Moscow) – The Russian dictator’s propaganda machine has once again been caught spreading blatant lies about the fate of thousands of captured Russian soldiers in Ukraine. Despite clear video evidence and verified records, the Kremlin continues to deny the existence of its own prisoners of war, even after some were exchanged in a recent large prisoner swap.
Since the beginning of the full scale invasion in 2022, more than 5,000 Russian soldiers have passed through Ukrainian captivity. Thousands more remain in detention awaiting exchange. Yet, Russian officials persist in pretending they do not exist. Russian state propaganda has at different times claimed that no more than 200 Russians were ever captured and later falsely claimed that all had already been returned. The reality, however, is painfully different.
Ukraine has released new footage through its “I Want to Live” initiative that clearly shows Russian prisoners in captivity. The video exposes the ongoing disinformation spread by the Kremlin and highlights the inhumane treatment of its own people by the Russian state. Prisoners include wounded, amputees, and seriously ill individuals suffering from AIDS, hepatitis, diabetes, and mental health conditions. Many of them have been completely abandoned by Moscow, which refuses to include them in official exchange lists.
Pretrial detention centres, prisoner camps, and medical facilities are now overcrowded, straining resources as Russia continues to reject even the most basic humanitarian principles. Ukrainian officials are calling on the Russian Federation to follow international law and prioritise the exchange of the severely wounded and sick. Ukraine has also renewed its call for a full exchange based on the principle of “all for all”.
The most recent swap took place after talks in Istanbul, where both sides agreed to a “1000 for 1000” prisoner exchange. This marked the sixth exchange this year and the sixty fifth since the beginning of Russia’s illegal full invasion. In total, 5,757 Ukrainians have now returned home, including 536 outside the official exchange process.
