The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War has for the first time named the total number of Russians captured during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The relevant statistics were published by the "I Want to Live" project, UNN reports.
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It is noted that over almost four years of the great war, more than 10,000 Russian invaders have been captured. On average, 60 to 90 occupiers surrender every week.
In the incomplete year 2025, more Russian servicemen were captured than in 2022 and 2023 combined. On average, 60 to 90 servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces surrender every week, and in August 2024, this figure reached 350 people per week. Since June 2023, Russian soldiers have been captured more often than Ukrainian soldiers in Russia.
Most Russians were captured in Pokrovsk and Bakhmut districts of Donetsk region, Kursk region, and Polohy district of Zaporizhzhia region.
In 2025, the number of foreign mercenaries in captivity sharply increased. Every week, 2-3 prisoners turn out to be recruited citizens of third countries. In total, almost 7% of all Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine are foreigners from 40 countries around the world.
83% of Russian prisoners of war are privates aged 18 to 65. About 76% are contract soldiers, including those recruited in prisons and PMCs. 24% of prisoners reported coercion or deception. 40% have criminal records, most often for theft, drugs, robbery and assault, grievous bodily harm, and murder.
Only 7% have higher education, while 30% have not even finished school. Before the war, 38% were unemployed. Almost half have children. Hundreds of servicemen were captured with severe chronic diseases, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, diabetes, and mental disorders.
As part of exchanges for Ukrainian defenders, more than 6,000 prisoners of war were returned to Russia, more than half of them in 2025. At least 237 former Russian prisoners are known to have died or gone missing at the front after the exchange. Four Russian soldiers are in captivity for the second time.
Russia primarily takes ethnic Russians without severe injuries and with a short period of captivity from captivity. However, Russia is not in a hurry to return foreign mercenaries.
Thousands of Russian army prisoners of war, including wounded, sick, and conscripts, still remain in Ukraine. Russia has been refusing an "all for all" exchange for the fourth year.