Ten Missing-in-Action Defenders Were Brought Back from Belarus on Ukraine's Independence Day

Independence Day Sees the Return of Ten Additional Ukrainian Troops from Belarus

According to Рубрика — Суспільство: On 24 August 2026, as Ukraine marked its Independence Day, ten soldiers belonging to the Armed Forces and the National Guard were repatriated via Belarus. These defenders had previously been officially listed as missing in action. They had been serving on the Donetsk front at the time they disappeared. Among those brought home were sergeants, soldiers, and sailors. Two of them had not been heard from since 2024, while the other eight had been unaccounted for since 2025.

• sergeants
• soldiers
• sailors

This repatriation took place through Belarus. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said,

“Today, as part of a special stage of the exchange, we are bringing back 10 of our soldiers - through Belarus.”

He also stated:

“All of them were considered missing in action. It is very important that we managed to bring them back.”

After returning, the service members will receive the necessary assistance, medical treatment, and rehabilitation.

Exchange Results and Previous Repatriations

The handover was the result of negotiations carried out by the Coordination Staff for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. In earlier exchange rounds, on 19 August 2026, Ukraine brought home 103 troops from Russian captivity, including wounded and seriously ill service members. Another exchange with Russia on 26 June 2026 led to the release of 160 Ukrainian soldiers, 58 of whom were officers, according to Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament's human rights commissioner.

The search for missing soldiers continues, and Ukrainian officials are making every effort to bring their heroes home.

This latest exchange represents an important step amid the ongoing conflict, underscoring the state's determination to recover its defenders. Beyond its humanitarian significance, such repatriations help sustain the morale of military personnel and their families. Every return of soldiers once presumed missing offers renewed hope for future efforts to locate and free Ukrainian citizens held captive or lost during fighting.