For the first time since the beginning of Russia's full-scale war, Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War has named the number of Belarusian citizens who fought on the side of Russia and were taken captive by Ukraine, writes "Svaboda".
"As of July 2026, 22 citizens of Belarus are held in prisoner-of-war facilities in Ukraine. Since 2022, 7 Belarusians, who also held Russian citizenship, have been exchanged for Ukrainian citizens who were in Russian captivity," said Bohdan Akhrymenko, head of the secretariat of the Coordination Headquarters, in response to an official request from "Svaboda".
At the same time, Bohdan Akhrymenko did not answer the question of whether the Belarusian authorities had contacted Ukraine regarding the release of Belarusians and in what format.
Previously, exchanges of Belarusian citizens took place within the framework of Russian-Ukrainian exchanges held on Belarusian territory.
The Ukrainian side repeatedly noted that Belarusians were handed over to Russia, however, at least one case is known where a transferred prisoner — former Special Operations Forces fighter Maksim Zyazyulchyk — after being released from Ukrainian captivity, was convicted under Articles 133 and 356 of the Criminal Code of Belarus (mercenarism and treason respectively). Zyazyulchyk is serving his sentence in correctional colony No. 17 in Shklov (Mogilev region).
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