Dmytro Lubinets, the Ombudsman of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights, revealed extensive statistics on the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians from Russian captivity at the international event “Freedom That Unites: Ukraine — USA.” According to him, as of August 24, 2026, 9,726 “heroes and heroines” who had passed through Russian captivity had returned home. The Ombudsman emphasized that a significant portion of these results was made possible thanks to the cooperation of the United States of America.
The Role of American Partnership in “Thousand for a Thousand” Exchanges
Lubinets separately thanked the American side for the initiative to organize special exchanges under the “thousand for a thousand” formula. It was precisely the American proposal, according to the Ombudsman, that made it possible to return civilian hostages, among whom were clergy members. To date, 464 civilians have been released from Russian captivity. “I know that we are doing and will do so that every single one of them returns,” Lubinets stated, setting the goal of the full return of all detained civilians.
Program for the Return of Deported Ukrainian Children
The Ombudsman singled out as a separate area of work the “window of opportunity” that has emerged since 2025 for the return of Ukrainian children deported by the Russian occupiers. Lubinets noted that it was precisely the public and behind-the-scenes activity of the First Lady of the United States that became the catalyst for this process. As of August 24, 2026, 2,506 Ukrainian children have been returned from Russian captivity. According to the Ombudsman’s assessment, this figure is the result of coordinated efforts by Kyiv and Washington.
Recent Exchanges: August 19 and 24
On the very day of Lubinets’s speech, August 24, the second stage of the latest prisoner-of-war exchange took place: Ukraine brought home ten military personnel who had previously been listed as missing in action. The day before, on August 19, a large-scale exchange under the 103-for-103 formula was carried out: 103 Ukrainians were returned from Russian captivity, and in return 103 detained Russian military personnel were handed over to Ukraine. In addition, the Ombudsman reported that Russia has established the whereabouts of 79 Ukrainian military personnel who had been listed as missing in action, creating the prerequisites for their subsequent return.
Context: Defenders of Mariupol — the Most Difficult Group
Earlier, in May 2026, Lubinets noted that the most difficult situation remains the return of the detained defenders of Mariupol. This group of prisoners of war, held under conditions that differ significantly from those of standard camps, requires a separate diplomatic approach. The issue in question does not change the overall dynamics: the total number of those who have returned is already approaching the 10,000 mark, making the exchange program one of the most effective areas of Ukraine’s humanitarian cooperation with international partners throughout the entire period of the full-scale conflict.
