Over 300 Ukrainian civilian women currently in Russian captivity – human rights advocate

It has been verified that 301 Ukrainian civilian women are currently held in captivity by Russia. Among them, 25 were unlawfully detained before the full-scale invasion, while 276 have been detained since the invasion began.

This information was shared on Facebook by Olha Skrypnyk, Head of the Crimean Human Rights Group, according to Ukrinform.

"According to the Unified Coordination Center for the Search and Release of Prisoners of War (SBU), in December 2024, at least 25 civilian women were unlawfully detained before the full-scale invasion, and 276 were detained afterward," the statement reads.

These numbers are not final, as significantly more women are believed to be held in Russian captivity. However, confirming their detention is extremely difficult since Russia refuses to provide information about civilians.

Skrypnyk highlighted that, based on this incomplete data, the number of civilian women detained after February 24, 2022, is 11 times higher than before the full-scale invasion.

She emphasized the importance of defining responsibilities within the government, particularly following recent changes, such as the "reset" of the Ministry of Reintegration and the establishment of the Ministry of National Unity. Clear roles must be outlined for addressing the needs of civilian hostages and their families, and the work of the Commission on Establishing Facts of Personal Freedom Deprivation should continue to provide some level of state support to the families.

As reported by Ukrinform, over 14,000 Ukrainian civilians are being held captive by Russia.