The SBU Returned 6266 Ukrainians from Captivity: Some Were Exchanged for Hierarchs of the UOC MP

Prisoner Exchanges in Ukraine

According to Главком: The Security Service of Ukraine has returned 6266 citizens from Russian captivity between 2022 and 2025, some of whom were released through exchanges for representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP). The latest exchange took place on June 22, 2024, when Metropolitan Ioanaphan (Anatoliy Yeletskykh) was exchanged for servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Key Figures in Exchanges

Metropolitan Ioanaphan, who was sentenced in Ukraine to five years in prison under four articles of the Criminal Code, has become one of the key figures in the exchange processes. In addition to him, the following figures are also mentioned in the context of the exchanges:

• Metropolitan Pavlo (Petro Lebed)
• Metropolitan Arseniy (Ihor Yakovenko)
• Metropolitan Luka (Andrii Kovalenko)
• Metropolitan Theodosiy (Denys Snihiriev)

It is also noteworthy that on July 2, 2025, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree terminating the citizenship of Metropolitan Onufriy, who obtained the citizenship of the Russian Federation in 2002. This decision became an important step in the context of events surrounding exchanges and the return of Ukrainian citizens from captivity.

The process of exchanging prisoners in Ukraine remains complex and multifaceted, as it includes not only military personnel but also representatives of religious organizations. The release of Metropolitan Ioanaphan and other church leaders underscores the role of religious institutions in addressing humanitarian issues during the conflict. At the same time, the Ukrainian president's decision regarding Metropolitan Onufriy's citizenship may indicate changes in the political and social landscape of the country, affecting relations between Ukraine and Russia.