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Moscow prepares a new strike, but Kyiv will respond asymmetrically. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns that in the coming days, Russia may sharply intensify its attacks, trying to create favorable conditions for negotiations. However, Ukraine is ready to counter the aggressor “asymmetrically, if needed.”
According to Zelenskyy, Ukrainian Armed Forces units have been achieving success for the second day in a row on the toughest sections of the front, in the areas of Dobropillia and Pokrovsk.
“The destruction of occupiers who tried to infiltrate deep into our positions continues. Ukraine has received important additions to the exchange fund in the form of captured Russian soldiers,” the president states.
The Ukrainian president also praises the combat performance of the 79th and 82nd Air Assault Brigades, the 1st and 425th Assault Regiments, the 25th Battalion, and other units holding the defense in the Pokrovsk direction.
“We are recording the movement and preparations of Russian troops. Of course, we will respond, asymmetrically if needed,” Zelenskyy adds.
Earlier, we reported that the Trump-Putin meeting ended without signing a treaty or ceasefire agreement. At the same time, no sanctions were imposed on Russia or its main partner, China. The red carpet and warm reception for Putin, who launched Russia’s war that has killed 13,800 civilians, including children, sparked outrage around the world.
Less than a month after his release from Russian captivity, 57-year-old soldier Valery Zelensky died of injuries sustained under torture, Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne reported on July 6.
Zelensky had spent 39 months in Russian captivity. He was released as part of the landmark 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner deal on May 25. Just 22 days later, on June 16, his heart stopped.
At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, his unit delivered weapons to Ukrainian forces in Mariupol, his daughter, Valeria Zelenka, said.
"When the offensive began, they were told that volunteers were needed to go on the assault. Out of 40 (people), eight said, 'We're going.' My father was one of them," she added.
The family did not immediately find out that he had been taken prisoner for some time, and he was considered missing in action. During his years in captivity, Zelensky's family received only one letter. He had long appeared on prisoner exchange lists but did not return until this year.
"The torture was not just cruel, it was inhuman. But he endured it," his daughter told Suspilne.
"He told me, 'Daughter, I endured it because of Kyokushin (a style of karate). I have discipline, I'm tough. My body and muscles protected me.'"
Valeria said her father had been overjoyed to come home and meet his grandson for the first time. He also expressed a desire to learn Ukrainian after years of speaking Russian.
Doctors initially treated him for suspected pancreatic issues, but his condition quickly deteriorated. During surgery, they discovered his organs were severely damaged. He died in intensive care days later.
"My father told me, 'Three people died among us from torture. And when I was in a very bad state, I asked God: Please let me see the eyes of my beloved,'" his daughter said.
A medical report listed extensive injuries. He had a non-functioning shoulder and arm and showed signs of multiple organ failures.
"The first feeling is inexhaustible pain that your loved one is no longer here. He was simply tortured," Valeria said. "And there is relief that he no longer feels that torture."
Zelensky's return was part of a wider prisoner exchange agreed during a first round of direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul.
The case is the latest in a number of Ukrainian soldiers' deaths after their return from Russian captivity, highlighting the effects of "widespread and systematic" torture of prisoners of war (POWs) in Russian prisons, reported by the U.N.
Serhii Dobrovolskyi, a Ukrainian soldier who had been in Russian captivity since 2023, died just a month after his release at the end of May as part of a 1000-for-1000 prisoner swap, an official from the soldier's home region announced on June 21.
In 2023, a high-ranking officer from the "Azov" brigade, Oleh Mudrak, died at 35 years old, months after his release from Russian captivity.
As a POW, he survived the Olenivka camp explosion and endured a dramatic weight loss in just 100 days, as seen in the photos published by Stanislav Aseyev, a Ukrainian writer and activist.
Dmytro Shapovalov, a 32-year-old defender of Ukraine who was exchanged in 2023 after over a year in Russian prisons, died on June 9, according to Suspilne.
Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) held in Russian captivity often face torture, abuse, and inhumane treatment, according to Ukrainian officials and human rights groups.
Many former POWs have reported beatings, starvation, and psychological pressure.
The exact number of Ukrainians currently held by Russia remains unknown. Kyiv continues to call for a full all-for-all exchange. Moscow has repeatedly rejected the offer.
The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
A new prisoner of war (POW) exchange with Russia has taken place, bringing home another group of Ukrainian defenders held in Russian captivity, many since 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on July 4.
"Our people are home. Most of them had been in Russian captivity since 2022," Zelensky said in a statement.
According to Ukraine's Land Forces, the group includes prisoners categorized as "wounded and seriously ill," those "under the age of 25," and civilians.
The Coordination Headquarters for Prisoners of War confirmed that this latest exchange was carried out under President Zelensky's directive, and included defenders of Mariupol held since 2022, as well as civilians who had been illegally sentenced or deprived of liberty.
"Today, our defenders are returning, those who fought for Ukraine in various regions: Donetsk, Mariupol, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson. These are soldiers of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, the State Special Transport Service, and also civilians," Zelesnky said.
"Ukraine's goal is to free all our people from Russian captivity."
The exchange follows five swaps that occurred in June under the Istanbul deal reached between Ukraine and Russia on June 2. The agreement provided for the regular release of severely ill and wounded POWs from both sides, as well as the repatriation of the bodies of fallen soldiers.
Previous swaps have brought home service members from the Armed Forces, National Guard, and State Border Guard Service, many of whom were captured in 2022 during the Russian invasion.
"Exchanges must continue, and I thank everyone who makes this possible," Zelensky said. "Ukraine's goal is to free all our people from Russian captivity. I thank everyone who helps make that happen."
Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed the exchange on July 4, without disclosing the number of soldiers returned.
Previous exchanges have focused on individuals with serious medical needs resulting from injuries and harsh conditions in captivity. Some previously released prisoners had defended Mariupol during the 2022 siege, while others fought in regions including Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Kyiv oblasts.
The Istanbul agreement followed months of stalled negotiations and was hailed as a humanitarian breakthrough despite the lack of broader political progress.
As part of the deal, Moscow pledged to return the remains of up to 6,000 Ukrainian service members and civilians. Ukrainian authorities say Russia has already transferred over 6,000 bodies in recent weeks.
Ukraine continues to advocate for a full-scale "all-for-all" exchange, a proposal that Russia has so far rejected. Still, both sides have carried out smaller, phased swaps, sometimes multiple in a single week.
The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko
Russian forces likely executed another Ukrainian prisoner of war (POW), Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on July 1, referring to a recent video that appears to show the captive tied to a motorcycle and dragged along a road.
The alleged execution adds to growing evidence that Russian forces are systematically violating the Geneva Conventions by killing Ukrainian captives.
"A video is circulating on social media showing a man being tied to a motorcycle and dragged along the road," Lubinets said in a statement.
"It is a clear act of demonstrative cruelty and yet another war crime by the Russian Federation."
Lubinets said he has sent official letters regarding the suspected war crime to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
"Russia is acting as a terrorist state. And it must be held fairly accountable for every crime," he added.
Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) alone reported in May that it had documented more than 150 cases of Ukrainian soldiers being executed after surrendering to Russian forces. Officials noted that these were only the confirmed incidents, and the real number is likely higher.
HUR and other agencies say such executions are not isolated but part of a broader, deliberate policy directed by Russia's military leadership. Multiple intelligence reports suggest that Russian soldiers have received explicit orders to kill prisoners of war.
The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine confirmed in March growing numbers of incidents in which Russian forces killed or maimed surrendering Ukrainian troops.
The commission cited testimony from Russian deserters who said they were instructed not to take prisoners but to shoot them on sight.
Earlier this year, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported a sharp increase in POW executions, documenting 79 killings across 24 incidents since August 2024. In many cases, the victims were unarmed or wounded, and some were killed in groups.
The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post
Ukraine has brought home a group of soldiers released from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 26, marking yet another in a recent series of exchanges with Moscow.
"Today, soldiers of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service are returning home," Zelensky said without revealing their numbers.
The exchange follows six similar swaps carried out in recent weeks in accordance with agreements reached between Kyiv and Moscow at the second round of peace talks in Istanbul on June 2.
As in the other recent swaps, the latest one focused on severely ill and wounded POWs and also included a group of young soldiers under the age of 25, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (POWs) said.
Most of those released had been in Russian captivity since 2022, with the youngest being a 24-year-old soldier taken prisoner during the battle for Mariupol. The oldest of the freed captives was 62.
The released soldiers fought elsewhere in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Kyiv oblasts. Among those freed are several officers, according to the headquarters.
"We are doing everything possible to find each person and verify information about every name," Zelensky said. "We must bring all our people home."
Russia's Defense Ministry also announced a prisoner exchange with the Ukrainian side, without specifying the number of soldiers involved.
While no political breakthrough was achieved, both sides agreed to a phased exchange of prisoners and the repatriation of fallen soldiers' bodies. As part of that agreement, Russia pledged to return the bodies of up to 6,000 Ukrainian service members and citizens.
Moscow has handed over 6,057 bodies to Ukraine in several stages over the past few days. President Volodymyr Zelensky later said Ukrainian authorities have confirmed that at least 20 of the bodies Russia returned as Ukrainian were actually Russian soldiers.
According to Zelensky, Moscow is using this tactic as a tool for manipulation to obscure the scale of its military losses from the public.
The June 2 agreements came after the largest-ever POW swap in late May, when 1,000 prisoners were exchanged on each side.
Ukraine repeatedly called for a prisoner exchange in an all-for-all format, but Russia continues to reject the offer.
The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko
A Russian military court has convicted 184 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) captured in Kursk Oblast of acts of terrorism, Mediazona reported on June 25.
Ukraine first launched a surprise offensive into Russia's Kursk Oblast in August 2024. Ukrainian officials have said the incursion forced Russia to move resources away from its offensives in Eastern Ukraine.
Russia's military prosecutors office convicts Ukrainian POWs captured in Kursk Oblast on a regular basis, independent Russian outlet Mediazona reported.
The POWs captured in Kursk were charged with carrying out a grave terrorist act by a group of individuals, as outlined by the Russian Criminal Code.
Junior Lieutenant Yevhen Hoch was convicted of allegedly carrying out an act of terrorism by taking part in Ukraine's Kursk Oblast incursion.
Russia has waged its war against Ukraine since 2014 and initiated a full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Russian authorities accused Hoch of interfering with civilian evacuations for three weeks amid Ukraine's Kursk offensive and for "intimidating them by openly carrying and using combat weapons."
Russia regularly convicts people of politically motivated charges in an effort to silence opposition to its war against Ukraine.
The Russian 2nd Western District Military Court has carried out the sentences against the 184 Ukrainian POWs since the beginning of the year.
Moscow has gone after journalists in Ukraine's Russian-occupied territories. Ukrainian Journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna disappeared in August 2023 and died after being tortured in Russian captivity. Roschyna's body was returned to Ukraine in February with missing organs.
The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
Serhii Dobrovolskyi, a Ukrainian soldier who had been in Russian captivity since 2023, has died just a month after his release at the end of May as part of a 1000-for-1000 prisoner swap, an official from the soldier's home region announced on June 21.
The case is the latest in a chain of Ukrainian soldiers' unexpected deaths after their return from Russian captivity, highlighting the effects of "widespread and systematic" torture of prisoners of war (POWs) in Russian prisons, reported by the U.N.
"Serhii Dobrovolskyi was released from captivity at the end of May this year. A few days ago, he was met by his fellow townspeople in his hometown," wrote the head of the soldier's native Zdolbuniv district in Rivne Oblast, Vladyslav Sukhliak, on Facebook. The exact cause of death was not immediately announced.
A video posted by the Zdolbuniv city council on June 17 shows Dobrovolskyi being greeted in Zdolbuniv by a crowd chanting the Ukrainian anthem as the soldier is hugging his mother. He was also presented with a korovai, a round bread loaf, as part of the symbolic Ukrainian tradition of welcome with bread and salt.
"Finally, after almost two years, the mother hugged her son," the Zdolbuniv city council commented on the video.
Sukhliak added that Dobrovolskyi was 43 years old at the time of death. "The war with the damned (Russian) occupiers takes lives and health of the defenders," he wrote.
Earlier in June, another Ukrainian soldier returned from Russian captivity had died unexpectedly.
Dmytro Shapovalov, a 32-year-old defender of Ukraine who was exchanged in 2023 after over a year in Russian prisons, had died on June 9, according to the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne.
His sister Anastasiia said that Shapovalov endured torture, hunger, and psychological pressure in captivity. After his release, Shapovalov returned to military service. He died in his sleep, presumably from heart failure, Suspilne reports.
After his death, a representative of the Coordination Headquarters managing the prisoner swaps, Yuliia Pavliuk, published a video showing Shapovalov eating an apple on the day of his release.
"I had just been dreaming about an apple for a year," Shapovalov says in the video.
In 2023, a high-ranking officer from the "Azov" brigade, Oleh Mudrak, died at 35 years old, months after his release from Russian captivity. As a POW, he survived the Olenivka camp explosion and endured a dramatic weight loss in just 100 days, as seen in the photos published by Stanislav Aseyev, a Ukrainian writer and activist.
Treatment of "Azov" fighters in Russian prisons is notoriously brutal due to their nationalistic values and Russian propaganda that worked for years to smear the unit's reputation both in Russia and internationally.
Some Azov fighters died from torture in Russian captivity or were sentenced to decades in prison for alleged war crimes. Many of them were among the 54 Ukrainian prisoners killed in an explosion in Olenivka penal colony in the Russian-occupied part of Donetsk Oblast on July 28, 2022.
Ukraine accused Russia of orchestrating the explosion, while Russia has been systematically preventing international organizations from conducting an independent investigation on the site of the attack.
The U.N. reported widespread torture of Ukrainian POWs in Russia and brutal conditions of their detention over the past years.
The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
Editor's note: The story is being updated.
Ukraine has brought home another group of prisoners of war released from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 20, following another prisoner exchange a day earlier.
"Most of the warriors returning today from Russian captivity had been held for over two years. And now, at last, they are home," Zelensky said on X, without revealing how many captives were exchanged.
Russia's Defense Ministry also said that a group of Russian soldiers had been released by the Ukrainian side, without specifying the number of personnel involved.
This week's exchanges follow four similar swaps carried out last week in accordance with Ukraine-Russia agreements reached at peace talks in Istanbul on June 2.
The latest swap was another in a series focusing on seriously ill and wounded prisoners, Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of the Prisoners of War (POW) said.
"These are defenders of Mariupol, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv regions. Warriors of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the Border Guard Service," Zelensky said.
The released POWs included privates and non-commissioned officers, some of whom were captured after the siege of Mariupol in 2022, according to the Coordination Headquarters. The oldest one is 60 years old, said Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.
While no political breakthrough was achieved at the Istanbul negotiations, both sides agreed to a phased exchange of prisoners and the repatriation of fallen soldiers' bodies. As part of that agreement, Russia pledged to return the bodies of up to 6,000 Ukrainian service members and citizens.
Moscow has handed over 6,057 bodies to Ukraine in several stages over the past few days, though Kyiv later said that these remains also included fallen Russian soldiers.
The June 2 agreements came after the largest known POW swap in late May, when 1,000 prisoners were exchanged on each side.
Ukraine repeatedly called for a prisoner exchange in an all-for-all format, but Russia continues to reject the offer.
The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
Kyiv is continuing efforts to bring home its citizens held captive by Russia, marking the fourth prisoner exchange in a week, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on June 14.
"Today, among those returning to Ukraine, many have been in captivity since 2022," Zelensky said. "These include soldiers from the Armed Forces, National Guard, State Border Guard Service, and the State Special Transport Service."
The exchanges are part of the agreement reached during talks held in Istanbul earlier this month, where both sides agreed to phased prisoner swaps and repatriation of fallen soldiers.
The latest group freed on June 14 mainly consists of severely wounded and seriously ill soldiers, many of whom were captured during the defense of Mariupol in 2022.
Most of the released defenders are officers, with some younger than 25 years old. These Ukrainian defenders served on multiple fronts including Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Kursk directions, the Coordination Headquarters for Prisoners of War stated.
Ukraine has earlier brought home service members from Russian captivity on June 12 and 10. Both swaps alsp prioritized severely injured and ill captives. The number of personnel released was not disclosed.
The Istanbul deal was reached during the second round of direct talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations on June 2 in Istanbul. While no political breakthrough was achieved, both sides agreed to a phased exchange of prisoners and the repatriation of fallen soldiers' bodies. As part of that agreement, Russia pledged to return the bodies of up to 6,000 Ukrainian service members.
Ukraine brought back the bodies of 2,412 Ukrainian nationals, including fallen service members, on June 13 and June 11, as well as 1,200 on June 14.
Amid the ongoing exchanges, Ukraine continues to push for an "all-for-all" formula to bring every captured Ukrainian soldier home, a proposal Moscow has so far rejected. The Coordination Headquarters said preparations are underway for the next phase of prisoner releases in the coming weeks as Kyiv maintains its commitment to recovering all those held captive.
The freed defenders will undergo medical examinations, receive physical and psychological rehabilitation, and be granted all entitled compensation for their time in captivity, according to the Coordination Headquarters.
In a conversation with journalists, Zelensky expressed hope that the prisoner exchanges would be completed by June 20 or 21.
More than 100,000 Russian families have contacted a Ukrainian-run initiative in search of information about missing Russian soldiers, Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of the Prisoners of War (POWs) said on June 12.
The announcement comes as Russia and Ukraine are conducting a series of the most extensive prisoner exchanges since the beginning of the large-scale war in 2022. The latest phase of the exchange occurred on June 12.
The initiative, called "I Want to Find" (Russian: "Хочу найти"), has received 100,324 requests from Russian citizens seeking answers about relatives who vanished while serving in Russia's military, the Coordination Headquarters said.
The actual number of missing Russian troops is believed to be significantly higher. Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Kremlin has largely concealed the scale of its military losses, forcing many families to search independently, Ukrainian officials said.
In May 2025 alone, the project received a record 12,320 inquiries — the highest monthly figure since the program began in January 2024.
Through the project, families can verify whether their relatives have been captured or killed, which may enable them to pressure Russian authorities to pursue prisoner exchanges. As of June, Ukraine has confirmed 2,415 Russian soldiers held in captivity, with 1,126 of them already exchanged for Ukrainian defenders, the Coordination Headquarters said.
"Many more Russians remain in captivity, but not all families know about the program or have submitted requests," the agency added.
A detailed analysis of the requests revealed that some of Russia's most severely depleted units include the 15th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade (Military Unit 90600), which accounts for 2,277 missing personnel — the highest of any single unit. Of the 20 most-affected units, 17 are motorized rifle brigades, often deployed in Russia's most brutal infantry assaults, commonly referred to as "meat grinder" tactics.
The data also showed that 26% of missing soldiers were under the age of 30. The youngest reported missing was 18, and the oldest was 67.
The project has also uncovered a shift in public sentiment, claiming 75% of those submitting requests said they do not support Russia's war in Ukraine.
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, Russia has lost over 1 million troops since the start of its invasion — a figure reported for the first time on June 12, with 1,140 casualties recorded in just one day. The total reported Russian losses stand at 1,000,340 as of that date.
The Kremlin has not commented on the figures.
The Kyiv IndependentChris York
Editor's note: The story is being updated.
Ukraine has brought home another group of service members from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on June 12, saying the latest exchange focused on "severely wounded and seriously ill warriors."
The prisoners of war (POWs) were released as part of a prisoner exchange with Russia agreed upon during recent peace talks in Istanbul, Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of the POWs said.
The June 12 release follows a similar exchange on June 10, which also prioritized severely injured and ill captives. As during the previous swap, the number of personnel released was not immediately disclosed.
Russia's Defense Ministry has also announced that its soldiers had been released from Ukrainian captivity as part of the swap, without disclosing their numbers.
Some of the POWs had been held by Russia for more than three years, according to the headquarters. Many of the released defenders had been classified as missing in action.
"This is part of a major exchange that continues in phases," the headquarters said in a statement. "These soldiers require urgent medical care and will receive full assistance, including psychological rehabilitation and financial compensation for their time in captivity."
Soldiers from multiple Ukrainian military branches, including the Armed Forces, Air Assault Forces, Navy, Air Force, Territorial Defense Forces, National Guard, Border Guard Service, and the State Special Transport Service, were freed in the exchange. Many had served in combat operations across Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
The Istanbul deal was reached during a second round of direct talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations on June 2. While no political breakthrough was achieved, both sides agreed to a phased exchange of prisoners and the repatriation of fallen soldiers’ remains.
As part of that agreement, Russia pledged to return the bodies of up to 6,000 Ukrainian service members.
Ukraine has brought back the bodies of 1,212 fallen service members on June 11. Vladimir Medinsky, aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed Ukraine released the remains of 27 Russian service members, while Kyiv did not confirm this.
The recent prisoner swap comes weeks after the largest such exchange of the war to date, which took place between May 23 and 25, with each side releasing 1,000 captives. Since Russia's full-scale invasion began, more than 5,000 Ukrainian POWs have been returned home, according to official figures.
Ukraine continues to push for an "all-for-all" formula to bring every captured Ukrainian soldier back, but Moscow has so far rejected such a comprehensive agreement. Meanwhile, the Coordination Headquarters said preparations are underway for the next phase of exchanges in the coming weeks.
The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
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