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Russia Says It Has No More Troops in Ukrainian Captivity—Ukrainian Intel Says That’s a Lie
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Russia’s recent claims that almost no Russian soldiers remain in Ukrainian captivity are false and part of a disinformation campaign, Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR), stated in an interview with Ukrainian media outlet RBK-Ukraine on June 19.
Yusov dismissed the Russian narrative as “lies being spread to sow panic and disillusionment in Ukrainian society, while stoking patriotic sentiment inside Russia.”
Yusov clarified that while Ukraine does not hold “tens of thousands” of Russian prisoners of war, there are still thousands of Russian troops in Ukrainian custody.
He declined to provide an exact figure but emphasized that “the work to replenish the exchange fund will continue despite various manipulations.”
Russia’s assertions follow the landmark May 23 prisoner exchange—the first such negotiation in over three years—where Ukraine and Russia agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners each. The exchange took place in three stages and ultimately brought home 1,000 Ukrainian military personnel and civilians.
After the first phase of that exchange on May 23, Russia began claiming that Ukraine was now holding only around 1,300 Russian POWs, while Russia allegedly held “nearly 10,000” Ukrainian defenders.
Those numbers are part of a larger propaganda effort, Yusov said, designed to distort the reality of the war and undercut morale at home and abroad.
HUR spokesperson reaffirmed that Ukraine remains committed to securing the release of its citizens still in Russian captivity, with ongoing intelligence and diplomatic efforts focused on building leverage for future exchanges.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Security Service and the Main Directorate of Intelligence warned that Russia plans to step up disinformation around prisoner exchanges by releasing fabricated lists of Ukrainian casualties.
