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The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War is making every effort to secure the return of every military and civilian captive held by Russia. It employs the latest technologies and all available intelligence resources to locate and bring them home.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate and chief of the Coordination Headquarters, said this in his speech at the conference “Hope, Struggle, Return – Three Years,” marking the third anniversary of the Headquarters’ operations, Ukrinform reports.
“At the President’s directive, we have taken on the difficult task of liberating our people from enemy captivity. Sixty-two exchanges, 4,300 freed individuals, and 469 more rescued outside of official swaps. […] We rejoice at every person brought home. We work closely with society and the media. There is still a long road ahead, and we will honorably fulfill our mission. We will bring everyone back,” Budanov said.
He added that beyond prisoner exchanges, the Coordination Headquarters has repatriated over 7,000 bodies of fallen Ukrainian defenders over the past three years.
Budanov expressed gratitude to law enforcement personnel involved in the Headquarters’ operations, as well as government agencies, including the Ombudsman’s Office, the Cabinet of Ministers, the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), the Prosecutor General’s Office, and the Presidential Office.
“Our achievements would not have been possible without you — the staff of the Coordination Headquarters, both permanent employees and seconded personnel, as well as volunteers, activists, family organizations, and all those who care. You are our greatest support in this mission,” he said.
Over the past three years, the Headquarters has developed an extensive support system for the families of prisoners. Several regional centers have been established, and prisoners of war and missing persons now have personal electronic accounts displaying available information regarding their status.
“The Coordination Headquarters employs the latest technologies and the full arsenal of military intelligence to search for and bring back our people. We are committed not only to military prisoners but also to civilians and their families. The aggressor is holding hundreds of our civilians in conditions akin to those of prisoners of war, unfortunately,” Budanov said.
On March 19, Ukraine and Russia conducted one of the largest prisoner exchanges to date. A total of 175 Ukrainian defenders were freed from Russian captivity, with an additional 22 service members returning home through special operations outside of the exchange process.
