Prisoner exchanges in Ukraine-Russia war – new study

Dr Jenny Mathers (left) from the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University and Dr Katerina Krulisova from Nottingham Trent University

How families help prisoners of war and missing soldiers return from the Ukraine-Russia war will be studied by a new project led by Aberystwyth University academics.

Prisoners have been exchanged throughout the war and remain one of the few areas of continued cooperation between Ukraine and Russia, yet the role of military families in supporting these efforts is still not well understood.

The project will look at the role played by soldiers' families, particularly wives and mothers, in helping to bring loved ones home.

Researchers will analyse government policies, media coverage and public information, as well as conduct interviews with experts and organisations involved in prisoner exchanges.

They aim for the study’s findings to support policymakers and civil society organisations working on conflict mediation, human rights and peacebuilding.

Dr Jenny Mathers, project lead and Senior Lecturer in the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University, said:

“Behind every prisoner exchange or the return of a missing soldier are families searching for answers about their loved ones. Yet we know surprisingly little about the role military families – and especially the women in military families – play in these processes. Our research will explore how families organise, advocate for their relatives and work with governments, humanitarian organisations and international mediators during wartime.

“By examining these experiences, we hope the findings will improve understanding of the human impact of conflict and provide insights that can help better support families and communities affected by war.”

The project brings together researchers from Aberystwyth University, the University of Aberdeen and Nottingham Trent University.

The researchers will organise a series of workshops involving policymakers, practitioners and civil society organisations.

They will also work with two project partners: the Institute of International Relations in Prague and the peacebuilding organisation International Alert.

Dr Natasha Danilova, project co-lead from the University of Aberdeen, added:

“There is a long-standing tendency to overlook or dismiss the role of civil society and, particularly, women-led groups in international conflicts. This project builds on research examining the activism of soldiers’ mothers and women in military families, seeking to advance understanding of the key dimensions of wartime humanitarianism.”

Dr Katerina Krulisova, project co-lead from Nottingham Trent University, said:

“Prisoner exchanges offer an important opportunity to understand how conflict mediation is changing, as established humanitarian organisations work alongside mediators such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Türkiye. By examining how their efforts connect with those of families and civil society, our research will identify lessons for more inclusive and gender-sensitive approaches to conflict mediation.”

The three-year project is funded by the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

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