As of now, it is confirmed that 1,441 civilian residents of the Kherson region were abducted by the Russians or are considered missing, of whom 793 people have already been released, the others are still held captive.
This was reported during the final press conference for 2025 by the head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, Oleksandr Prokudin.
“Decisions on exchanges do not depend solely on Ukraine. As you know, the Russians systematically delay and manipulate this process, blocking it,” Prokudin said.
He also dismissed information that sometimes appears on social media that the authorities allegedly do not include Kherson’s mayor, Ihor Kolykhaiev, on the lists for exchange.
It is noted that information about the head of Kherson, as well as about the Spanish volunteer Mario Garcia, has been forwarded to all competent authorities.
Recall that the mayor of Kherson, abducted by the Russians Ihor Kolykhaiev is being held in Perm Krai in the Urals, where he is kept in extremely harsh conditions.
Also recall, the Red Cross is inspecting prisons in Russia in search of the Spaniard Mariano García Calatayud, whom the occupiers abducted in Kherson at the beginning of the occupation in March 2022. Russia still has not confirmed his captivity.