Some are injured, most are quite young, and all long to return home. President Volodymyr Zelensky refers to Russian soldiers captured during the swift incursion into the Kursk region of Ukraine as part of an 'exchange fund.' He anticipates that these prisoners of war, taken during the surprise attack that caught Russia unprepared, can be swiftly swapped for some of the approximately 6,500 Ukrainian soldiers Moscow claims to be holding.
'This operation has become our most significant investment in the process of freeing Ukrainians from Russian captivity,' Zelensky stated recently. 'We have captured the largest number of Russian prisoners in a single operation.' Ukraine has reported that numerous Russian servicemen, said to be in the hundreds, surrendered during the offensive that commenced on August 6.
AFP requested access to some of the POWs held just across the border in Ukraine’s Sumy region. Despite the presence of Ukrainian guards, the prisoners did not seem to be speaking under duress. A 22-year-old Russian POW, a conscript, explained that he and others were 'simply abandoned by our command' when Ukrainian troops arrived. 'Everything was normal, everything was fine. And then this unexpected moment turned everything upside down,' he recounted, seated on a bunk in his cell. 'It was unexpected,' he reiterated.
The young man, clad in checked trousers and plastic slippers, expressed his hope to 'be exchanged and go back home — back home to my family.' Another detainee, a 42-year-old border guard with a bandaged leg, was captured on the first day of the offensive. 'There was a complete encirclement and there were no opportunities to break through. So the decision was made to surrender,' he explained. 'I hope that they will exchange me and I will return home. My biggest hope is that, of course,' he added.
The Ukrainian offensive took Russia by surprise. Kyiv reported that thousands of its troops participated in the incursion, which occurred two and a half years after the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The deputy head of the detention facility informed AFP that 'very large numbers' of Russian POWs have been captured so far, though exact figures were not provided. Initially, the POWs were 'afraid of everything,' but they 'came to life' after a few days when they realized they were being well treated.
'On the battlefield they are hated soldiers and when they are captured they become ordinary people,' remarked the guard, who identified himself as Volodymyr. Ukrainian officials have not disclosed the exact number of prisoners of war captured but have mentioned that many were young conscripts seized in the chaotic initial days of the incursion. Officials report that 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been repatriated since the war began, but 'thousands' remain in Russian captivity.
During a meeting with foreign media in June, including AFP, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia held 6,465 Ukrainian soldiers while Ukraine held 1,348 Russian soldiers. Although there are regular exchanges between the two sides, they typically involve only a few dozen individuals. This time, Ukraine has indicated it is already in discussions with Russia regarding an exchange for the Kursk POWs. Human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets revealed last week that he had been contacted by his Russian counterpart Tatyana Moskalkova, noting this as the first instance where Moscow initiated contact for a prisoner swap.
'I see that this situation... has at least forced the Russian side to take the initiative,' he commented.
