Chief of Intelligence Highlights Ukraine’s Top Priorities in Prisoner Exchange Efforts

Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence, outlined the guiding principles for negotiations on the release of prisoners, emphasizing that a Public Council will be established at the Coordination Headquarters, as Ukraine will prioritize the return of those who are seriously ill or injured, as well as women. Special consideration will be given to prisoners who have been held the longest.

“We will also make every effort to return civilian prisoners, especially those who have been in captivity since 2014,” Budanov stated. “Special attention is given to the defenders of Mariupol and, in particular, those who defended 'Azovstal.' We will also not forget about the Crimean Tatars.”

On August 15, Vasyl Maliuk, head of the Security Service of Ukraine, announced that representatives from the Security Service of Ukraine, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Foreign Intelligence Service, and the Ombudsman will be part of the negotiation team. This group, working under the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, is responsible for preparing prisoner exchanges.

Earlier, Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that over 100 Russian soldiers surrendered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, marking it the largest single capture since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.