In brief
The Ukrainian POW coordination headquarters put the average monthly difference at about 107. The figures concern new captures, rather than total prisoners held.
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Ukraine captured 858 more Russian servicemen than Russia captured Ukrainian servicemen in the first eight months of 2026, Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said. LIGA.net reported the statement on October 6, citing figures from the "I Want to Live" project.
The headquarters put the average difference at about 107 people a month. The comparison covers new captures in January–August and does not describe the total number of prisoners held by either side. LIGA.net's report did not give separate capture totals or specify where the troops were captured.
The headquarters said Ukraine had begun capturing more Russian troops than Russia captured Ukrainians from mid-2023, and that Ukraine's pool of prisoners for exchanges had also grown faster in 2024 and 2025. LIGA.net's report did not present independent verification of those figures.
The headquarters attributed the result primarily to Ukrainian troops taking enemy soldiers alive, with information campaigns encouraging surrender also playing a role. The figures do not announce a new prisoner exchange.