Ukraine has conducted another large-scale prisoner exchange, during which 300 Ukrainian military personnel were freed from Russian captivity. This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
This is reported by Finway
Details of the exchange: who is returning home
Among those released are servicemen from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service. The release included both privates and those of sergeant and officer ranks. The soldiers defended Ukraine in various areas — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and also participated in the defense of Mariupol. In addition to the military, today two civilian citizens of Ukraine are also returning from captivity.
“Among them are guys from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, and our border service. Privates, sergeants, officers. They defended Ukraine in various areas: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and in Mariupol. Most of them have been in captivity for over a year, some since 2022.”
Chronology of exchanges: the gradual return of defenders
The previous stage of the exchange took place on March 5, when Ukraine brought home 200 military personnel. This agreement was reached during negotiations in Geneva and marked the beginning of a new phase in the return of captives. Earlier, on February 5, 2026, Ukraine released 150 of its military and seven civilians, which was the first exchange of the current year.
According to Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, as of March 6, 2026, 6,922 Ukrainian citizens have already been returned from Russian captivity. In February, President Zelensky reported that about 7,000 Ukrainian captives remain in Russia.