--- title: "Breakthrough in Search for Missing Persons: Russia Confirms Location of 79 Ukrainian Soldiers" description: "Russia confirmed the location of 79 Ukrainian soldiers who were considered missing. This was announced by Ombudsman Dmytro Lubyntsev during negotiations held on August 19, 2026." date: 2026-08-19T17:56:01.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/breakthrough-in-search-for-missing-persons-russia-confirms-location-of-79-ukrainian-soldiers tags: [ukraine-war, prisoner-exchange, humanitarian-diplomacy, russia-ukraine-conflict] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Breakthrough in Search for Missing Persons: Russia Confirms Location of 79 Ukrainian Soldiers ![Relatives of missing Ukrainian soldiers with posters and portraits at a rally](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/19/rf-nashla-79-ukrainskih-voennyh-bez-vesti-propavshih/rf-nashla-79-ukrainskih-voennyh-bez-vesti-propavshih-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Russia confirmed the location of 79 Ukrainian soldiers who were considered missing - Prisoner exchange on August 19, 2026: 103 Ukrainians returned home - There are contradictions in the versions of the parties regarding detention conditions and lists of captives August 19, 2026, marked a significant day in humanitarian diplomacy between Ukraine and Russia. Dmytro Lubyntsev, the Ombudsman of the Verkhovna Rada, officially confirmed receiving information from the Russian side regarding the whereabouts of 79 Ukrainian servicemen who were previously listed as missing. This decision was made during the latest round of negotiations, where both sides discussed the fate of thousands of people remaining behind the front lines. ### Details of the Received Information According to the Ombudsman's statement, Russia informed Kyiv that out of a total list of 1,500 individuals previously submitted by the Ukrainian side, the whereabouts of 79 fighters were established. Dmytro Lubyntsev called this result "good news," noting that receiving even an elementary response to the request took a significant amount of time. "Finally, this is a decent result, considering we waited quite a long time," he emphasized, adding that the Ukrainian side now has an additional mechanism to search for the rest of the missing. ### Context of the Prisoner Exchange The news about the found servicemen came against the backdrop of a large-scale prisoner exchange that took place on August 19. On this day, 103 Ukrainians held captive by Russia returned to freedom. In exchange, Ukraine released 103 Russian soldiers. This exchange was one of the largest in recent times and demonstrated the willingness of both sides to engage in dialogue, despite ongoing hostilities. However, as experts note, such events are often accompanied by complex logistics and the need for careful data verification. ### Contradictory Data Despite the positive signal, contradictions persist regarding the topic of exchanges and the search for missing persons. On one hand, released Ukrainian soldiers report attempts by Russian authorities to "fatten up" captives before the exchange to hide the real conditions of detention. According to them, this is one of the methods of psychological pressure and torture. On the other hand, Russia claims to have published lists of Ukrainians allegedly held in captivity, but Kyiv allegedly refuses to return them. Dmytro Lubyntsev refuted these claims, stating that Ukraine strives to return all its citizens without exception. ### International Context and Prospects The events of August 19, 2026, are taking place amidst increasing international pressure on both sides of the conflict. The UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and other organizations are calling for compliance with humanitarian norms and transparency in prisoner exchange issues. Obtaining data on 79 missing persons could set a precedent for further negotiations and the creation of more effective search mechanisms. However, as practice shows, such successes are often point-specific and require constant monitoring by international observers. ### Public and Relatives' Reaction News about the found servicemen evoked mixed emotions in Ukrainian society. On one hand, relatives of the missing expressed hope for the speedy return of their loved ones. On the other hand, many remain skeptical, citing previous cases where information about the whereabouts of captives proved to be unreliable. A discussion unfolded on social media regarding the need to strengthen control over the exchange and search process for missing persons. Relatives are calling on the authorities not to stop at what has been achieved and to continue working until all Ukrainians return home. ## πŸ” Fact-Check Verification - [Ukraine received data on 79 AFU soldiers who were considered missing](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ukrayina-otrimala-dani-shchodo-79-viyskovih-1787161379.html) - ΠžΡ„ΠΈΡ†ΠΈΠ°Π»ΡŒΠ½ΠΎΠ΅ заявлСниС Дмитрия Π›ΡƒΠ±ΠΈΠ½Ρ†Π°, ΠΎΠΏΡƒΠ±Π»ΠΈΠΊΠΎΠ²Π°Π½Π½ΠΎΠ΅ Π Π‘Πš-Π£ΠΊΡ€Π°ΠΈΠ½Π° 19 августа 2026 Π³ΠΎΠ΄Π°. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: How many Ukrainian soldiers were found by Russia? **A:** Russia confirmed the location of 79 Ukrainian soldiers who were considered missing. ### Q: When did the prisoner exchange take place? **A:** The prisoner exchange took place on August 19, 2026, during which 103 Ukrainians returned home. ### Q: Are there contradictions in the parties' versions? **A:** Yes, there are contradictions regarding the conditions of detention of captives and lists of missing persons.