02:01 26-04-2026

Russian POWs Return After 3 Years in Ukraine Captivity

Russian servicemen returned home after a 193-for-193 prisoner exchange with Ukraine and spoke about conditions in captivity.

Russian servicemen have returned home after being held in Ukrainian captivity and spoke about the conditions they faced.

Despite fatigue after the journey, they left the aircraft smiling and holding Russian flags. One of the released soldiers, Sergey Medvednik, spent three years in captivity and said he had been waiting for his return the entire time.

The servicemen spoke reluctantly about their experiences, noting that their main priority now is recovery and returning to normal life. At the same time, one of them said they had been held in several penal colonies, with conditions in one described as particularly harsh: on May 9, detainees were forced to walk around a parade ground continuously for four hours.

A prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kiev took place on April 24 under a «193 for 193» formula. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the released servicemen were sent to Belarus, where they received medical and psychological assistance. The exchange was conducted with humanitarian involvement from the United States and the UAE.