Throughout the summer of 2025, exchanges, diplomatic initiatives, and international coordination ensured the return of thousands of Ukrainians from Russian captivity and temporarily occupied territories. At the same time, the country is experiencing systematic shelling of civilian infrastructure and significant human rights violations, which complicates the process of verification, rehabilitation, and legal protection of those released. This picture is outlined in a report by the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights.
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Attacks on civilians and state responses
The summer of 2025 was marked by a series of heavy attacks on Ukrainian cities, with strikes hitting residential areas, cultural monuments and places of religious significance. From the air strike in Kharkiv on 24 July, which affected children and teenagers, to the massive shelling of Odesa on 25 July, which damaged a number of buildings in the city centre. Damage to residential buildings, medical facilities, and schools has been reported. In many cases, the consequences of the strikes complicate access to aid, create a need for large-scale infrastructure repairs and increase the burden on humanitarian services.
In response to these events, state structures and human rights bodies are stepping up their efforts to document violations and are forwarding the collected materials to international institutions for further action. Currently, part of the effort is focused on recording the destruction of cultural heritage and justifying an international response.
Return mechanisms and practical challenges
The repatriation processes are taking place within the framework of bilateral agreements and mediation by third countries. Following the agreements reached in Istanbul, exchanges took place, resulting in the release of military personnel from various branches of the armed forces and civilians, including some who had been sentenced to long terms of imprisonment. Ukraine is using diplomatic channels with several countries, including the UAE and Qatar, to organise the transfer and transport of released citizens back home.
Verification and safe return procedures are fraught with difficulties. A large number of citizens illegally detained in the Russian Federation remain unverified, and the whereabouts of many are unknown. The Russian side sometimes refuses to cooperate, blocks access to certain categories of detainees, and moves people far from the line of contact. One of the additional obstacles is the health condition of those released: many of those returned have chronic diseases and injuries that require urgent medical attention and long-term recovery.
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Stories of return and humanitarian support
The individual stories recorded in the report illustrate various forms of imprisonment and their consequences for families. Cases of minors returning home, particularly family reunions after long years of separation, demonstrate the complexity of logistics and emotional costs for families. Some of those released undergo a lengthy course of rehabilitation, medical examination and legal support. The Office of the Commissioner coordinates interaction with other state bodies, monitors compliance with international humanitarian law during exchanges and assists families in matters of identification and access to legal, social and medical support.
Reintegration issues are discussed in the regions during meetings with military families, where information is provided on search measures, work with international organisations and the formation of lists for exchange. The support system includes monitoring compliance with the Geneva Convention and coordination with international partners.
International cooperation and legal initiatives
The Ombudsman’s Office is active in international formats, participates in conferences on recovery issues, discusses OSCE programme initiatives and coordinates with embassies and international human rights institutions. In a number of cases, international court decisions have confirmed systematic human rights violations in the occupied territories and during full-scale aggression, which strengthens Ukraine’s arguments in international institutions.
At the same time, work is underway to prepare applications to the International Register of Damages so that victims have access to mechanisms for proving damage. The international dialogue also raises the issue of forced deportation and indoctrination of children, and post-war reconstruction is discussed with an emphasis on inclusiveness for national minorities.
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Statistics, consequences and next steps
The report contains a large array of numerical information: the number of people released is recorded in thousands, the number of missing and dead among the civilian population, the destruction of important health and education infrastructure, as well as the scale of internal and external displacement of citizens. This data serves as a basis for planning recovery and shaping priorities for state policy in the humanitarian sphere. Going forward, the priorities remain expanding the possibilities for verifying detainees, ensuring medical and psychological rehabilitation for those released, and increasing international pressure for access to places of detention and accountability for war crimes.
The focus topics of recent months demonstrate that the return of people from captivity and the protection of their rights require simultaneous work at several levels: local, national and international. Further rebuilding of viable mechanisms for supporting those released and securing their rights will depend on effective coordination among all stakeholders and sustained access to international support.
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