«We’re Their Voice»
We’re their voice”: how five women sparked a global movement to free ukraine’s soldiers from russian captivity. A rally organized by five women in Kyiv grew into Ukraine’s most recognizable civic activism campaign, gaining global traction and offering hope to the families of the missing.
2025
Since the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has negotiated the return of 5,700 people —b oth soldiers and civilians —from russian detention.
Still, between 8,000-10,000 identified Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) are held in russian captivity — a 2025 UN report found that 95% of released Ukrainian POWs underwent “systematic and widespread torture, including sexual violence” at the hands of russian guards.
The weekly Free Azov rallies, primarily attended by the partners and families of prisoners of war and those listed as “missing in action,” play a valuable role in prisoner exchanges for many of the participants.
