“There was an exchange of prisoners: 157 Ukrainians, including military and civilians, returned home.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
photo: Zelenskyi in social networks Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in social networks, Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War
Zelensky’s direct speech: “We are returning our people home – 157 Ukrainians.
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Soldiers of the Armed Forces, National Guard, State Border Service. Soldiers, sergeants and officers. And civilians also return with defenders.
Most of them have been in captivity since the 22nd year.”
Details: Zelenskyi emphasized that the exchange took place after a long pause: “I thank everyone who works for the sake of exchanges, and everyone who replenishes the exchange fund for Ukraine at the front.”
The coordination headquarters reported that this is already the 71st exchange.
150 military and 7 Ukrainian civilians were freed from Russian captivity.
Servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were returned to Ukraine, in particular representatives of the Navy, the Ground Forces, the Defense Ministry, the Air Force, the Air Force, as well as the National Guard and the State Border Service.
In addition to soldiers and sergeants, it was also possible to free officers.
Discharged servicemen defended the country in the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Sumy, and Kyiv directions.
Most of the released defenders was captured during the defense of Mariupol.
Also, a National Guard serviceman enslaved during the seizure of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant returned from captivity.
It is reported that 139 out of 157 freed Ukrainian citizens were in Russian captivity since 2022.
Besides, Ukrainians illegally convicted in the Russian Federation were returned home.
The youngest released defender turned 23 years old. He was captured at the age of 19 during the defense of Mariupol. The Russian court illegally sentenced the boy to “life imprisonment”.
The oldest defender released today is 63 years old.
Ukraine expressed gratitude to the USA and the UAE for their help in organizing the exchange and return home of civilian and military Ukrainians.
Those released from captivity will undergo a full medical examination, will receive help with physical and psychological rehabilitation and all payments provided by the state.