The exchange was announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense, and then Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian soldiers had returned home from captivity. «Our people are returning home from Russian captivity. These are soldiers of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the State Border Service. Most of them have been in captivity since 2022», — wrote Zelensky.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War clarified that a group of severely ill defenders was released from Russian captivity. The soldiers have injuries and significant health issues.
«Every defender released today has severe medical diagnoses and illnesses resulting from injuries and captivity. Many have significant weight loss, dystrophy, ulcers, vision problems, musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and digestive issues», — reported the headquarters.
Most of the released soldiers were in captivity for more than three years. A significant portion of them were captured during the defense of Mariupol. All the military personnel released today are representatives of the rank and file and sergeant staff.
Since June 9, this is already the fifth round of exchanges based on agreements reached in Istanbul. The parties have not yet disclosed how many people were released.
Photo: TG Volodymyr Zelensky