160 Ukrainian defenders have been released from captivity: details of the exchange
26 June 16:23
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the release of 160 Ukrainian servicemen from Russian captivity, where they had been held since 2022. According to "Komersant Ukrainian".
“Today, 160 servicemen were released from captivity. All of them had been held captive since 2022. Among those released today are servicemen from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service, the National Guard, and border guards. They defended Ukraine in Mariupol and at Azovstal, as well as in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy regions,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.
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Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, reported that most of those released are defenders of the city of Mariupol in Donetsk Oblast and the Azovstal steel plant from various components of the country’s defense forces. Some are defenders who fought in other areas. Among them are soldiers, sergeants, and officers.
“Thank you to each and every one of you for your loyalty to your military oath and for your incredible strength of will. The state fought for you, and the process of bringing home all those who remain in captivity is ongoing,” Budanov wrote on Telegram, thanking representatives of the United States and the United Arab Emirates for their assistance in facilitating the release of Ukrainians.
According to the Coordination Headquarters for Prisoners of War, this took place as part of the 76th prisoner exchange with the Russian occupiers.
“Among those released were 115 defenders of Mariupol. In addition to soldiers and sergeants, 58 officers were also able to return home. The youngest released defender is 26 years old. The oldest is 66. All those released will undergo a medical examination, receive necessary treatment, financial compensation, and documents, and will undergo rehabilitation to reintegrate into society after prolonged isolation in Russian captivity,” the statement reads.
Those who returned home included, in particular, representatives of the Army, Support Forces, Airborne Forces, Transport Troops, Air Force, Medical Forces, and Navy, as well as soldiers from the National Guard of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service, and the State Border Guard Service.
In total, over the course of its operations, the Coordination Headquarters has repatriated 9,606 military personnel and civilians from captivity.
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