Completion of Another Exchange of Prisoners of War
President Volodymyr Zelensky reported the completion of yet another stage of exchanging military personnel, the majority of whom have been held captive since 2022.
This was shared by the head of state on Telegram.
«We continue our exchanges, and today we are bringing back our warriors. Among them are soldiers from the Armed Forces, National Guard, and Border Guard. Most of them have been in captivity since 2022. We are doing everything we can to locate each one and verify information about everyone. We must bring all our people home,» Zelensky stated.
He also expressed gratitude to everyone who assists Ukraine in carrying out these exchanges.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War noted that representatives from the Naval Forces, Ground Forces, Airborne Forces, Territorial Defense Forces, as well as fighters from the National Guard and Border Guard returned to Ukraine.
It is reported that the vast majority of the freed defenders were held captive for over three years, with many captured during the defense of Mariupol.
"Among the returned are also officers. The oldest released is 62 years old, and the youngest is 24 years old,” wrote the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, on Telegram.
According to the Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, the youngest among those freed today was captured at the age of 21 during the defense of Mariupol.
«Today, on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, another group of Ukrainian defenders has been liberated from Russian captivity. According to the agreements reached in Istanbul, fighters under 25 years old, as well as those who are seriously ill and severely wounded, are being returned,» he noted.
Budanov also stated: «We continue our work. We expect good news soon. We are fighting for the return of everyone».
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko, informed that among those released in the latest exchange were individuals previously considered missing.
"The stories of some of them are true miracles. They were thought to be missing, but even amidst the uncertainty, the state continued the search. And today they are with us,” Klymenko noted.
The Coordination Headquarters also reported that the specificity of today's exchange is that it successfully returned young soldiers. The youngest defender is 24 years old and was captured during the defense of Mariupol in April 2022 at the age of 21.
They also managed to free National Guard members who were guarding Chernobyl.
The oldest soldier returned to the homeland is 62 years old.
Among the freed defenders today are also officers.
In total, Ukrainians who defended the country in the Donetsk, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Kherson, Kyiv, and Sumy regions are returning home.
The freed defenders will undergo necessary medical examinations, receive assistance with physical and psychological rehabilitation, as well as all due payments for the time spent in captivity, emphasized the Coordination Headquarters.
