Over 10,000 Russian soldiers held captive in Ukraine, 40% of them have criminal records – project I Want to Live

Over the entire time of the full-scale invasion, more than 10,000 Russian servicemen were held captive in Ukraine, 40% of them have criminal records, and the Russian side most often requests ethnic Russians, residents of Moscow and Moscow region, Krasnodar and Perm territories, for an exchange, the project I Want to Live reported based on the results of an analysis of data on prisoners of war.

"Summing up the year, the I Want to Live project is publishing, for the first time, comprehensive statistics based on data on more than 10,000 Russian servicemen who have been taken prisoner since the start of the full-scale invasion," the project said in a Telegram post on Wednesday.

The report states that the number of Russians surrendering has been increasing year by year. In the partial year of 2025, more Russian servicemen were captured than in 2022 and 2023 combined. On average, 60 to 90 Russian soldiers surrender each week, while in August 2024 the number reached 350 per week. Since June 2023, Russian soldiers have consistently been taken prisoner more frequently than Ukrainian servicemen have been in Russian captivity.

The largest numbers of Russian prisoners were captured in Pokrovsk and Bakhmut districts of Donetsk region, in Kursk region, and in Polohy district of Zaporizhia region.

The report notes that in 2025 the number of foreign mercenaries taken prisoner increased significantly. Each week, about 2-3 Russian soldiers who surrender are citizens of third countries. In 2025, more foreigners were captured than in all previous years combined. Currently, nearly 7% of all prisoners of war in Ukraine are foreign mercenaries from 40 countries worldwide.

A typical Russian prisoner of war looks as follows: 83% are enlisted personnel; 13% are sergeants and petty officers; 1.4% are warrant officers and midshipmen; and nearly 3% are junior and senior officers. The highest rank among the prisoners is colonel.

"The youngest was 18 years old at the time of capture, and the oldest 65. About 76% are contract soldiers, including those recruited in prisons and private military company personnel. Approximately 19% are mobilized soldiers, and nearly 5% are conscripts. Around 24% of prisoners reported involuntary participation in the war – they were either deceived or forced to fight," the report states.

Forty percent of all Russian prisoners of war have a criminal record. The top five charges for which Russian servicemen had been convicted are: 1) theft – 35.1%, 2) drug-related offenses – 18.5%, 3) robbery and assault – 16.3%, 4) grievous bodily harm – 8.3%, and 5) murder – 7.2%.

Only 7% of all prisoners have a university education. Forty-four percent graduated from college or vocational school, while 30% did not finish secondary school. A few dozen prisoners never attended school at all.

Before the war, 38% were unemployed. Eighteen percent worked in construction, 11% as drivers, 7% as locksmiths, welders, or electricians. Six percent were employed in security, and another 6% were in civil service.

Thirty-six percent are married, 16% divorced, 13% in a civil partnership, and 34% have never been married. Forty-six percent have children, with 8% having three or more children, although this did not exempt them from military service.

Hundreds of prisoners were captured with illnesses such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis, diabetes, as well as mental health conditions, including schizophrenia.

"In total, slightly more than 6,000 prisoners have been returned to Russia through exchanges, 52% of whom were exchanged in 2025. We know of at least 237 former prisoners who were killed or went missing after being sent back to the front. Four Russian soldiers are currently in captivity for the second time," the project reported.

Who does Russia take in exchanges? The ethnic composition of exchanged Russian soldiers differs noticeably from that of prisoners. Among POWs, 66% are ethnic Russians, while among those exchanged, their share rises to 83%. By region, residents of Moscow and Moscow region, Krasnodar and Perm regions, and Rostov region were most frequently returned in exchanges, while natives of Chuvashia, Udmurtia, Kalmykia, and Sakhalin region were returned less often.