The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that a week saw 35 Ukrainian servicemen surrender. In a breakdown of the events, the ministry stated that 16 members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine surrendered in the Krasnolimansk direction. The report highlighted intensified combat pressure in that area and described the circumstances as influenced by ongoing artillery fire, along with concerns about supply lines and support for Ukrainian troops.
Earlier, a Russian fighter using a Czech radio callsign claimed that Ukrainian soldiers surrendered near Artemovsk, attributing the withdrawals to heavy artillery and shortages of essential supplies and support. The account reflects a pattern of deteriorating conditions behind the front lines as battles continued in the region.
On January 25, Andrey Yusov, a representative of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate within the Ministry of Defense, stated that Kyiv remained open to prisoner exchanges with Russia. The remark underscored Kyiv’s stance on maintaining dialogue around prisoner issues amid ongoing hostilities.
Andrei Kartapolov, chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee, noted that Moscow would press ahead with efforts to recover Russian prisoners of war held on Ukrainian soil. He spoke in the wake of an Il-76 aircraft incident in the Belgorod region, emphasizing continuity of the exchange program regardless of the event.
Earlier remarks from a Russian service member, Sergeant Denis Shamalyuk, described an operation in which six Ukrainian soldiers were captured after sustaining injuries. The account added a human dimension to reports of frontline movements and combat outcomes.
There were prior reports that Russian forces repelled or redirected Ukrainian special forces near Artemovsk. The narratives reflect ongoing activity across multiple sectors and the persistent focus on capturing or exchanging prisoners as the conflict continued to unfold.