Ukraine releases journalist Khilyuk and former Kherson mayor from Russian captivity
24 August 18:02
Ukraine and Russia conducted a combined exchange of prisoners of war. Among those released from Russian captivity are civilians, including journalists and the former mayor of Kherson.
This is reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to the Telegram of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
“According to the agreements in Istanbul, Ukrainian soldiers were returned home, while eight civilian Ukrainians were released as part of the 68th exchange,” the report says.
According to the Coordination Headquarters, journalist Dmytro Khilyuk was returned from captivity. He had been held captive as a civilian hostage since 2022. In particular, Russians abducted him near his home in Kozarovychi, Kyiv region.
“Finally, two Ukrainian journalists are free: Dmytro Khilyuk and Mark Kaliusz. They were illegally detained by the occupiers in 2022 and 2023,” the headquarters wrote.
Among the released civilians is medic Serhiy Kovalev from the Hospitallers battalion. He saved the lives of defenders and civilians during the siege at the Azovstal plant in Mariupol.
“The former mayor of Kherson Volodymyr Mykolayenko, who did not cooperate with the occupiers, is also returning home,” the headquarters added.
As for the military, all the liberated defenders are privates and sergeants. They are representatives of almost all defense forces: airborne, air assault, naval, military, theater of operations, the National Guard and the State Border Guard Service.
Almost all of them spent more than three years in Russian captivity.
“The servicemen who have returned today defended the city of Mariupol, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Sumy, and protected the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Also, those who fell into the hands of the enemy in the temporarily occupied territories and Crimea will see their relatives,” the Coordination Center said.
As a reminder, last week, on August 14, Ukraine and Russia also conducted a prisoner exchange. It took place against the backdrop of the upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
