Ukraine returned 277 defenders from Russian captivity.
This was reported by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.
These are soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, the State Special Transport Service, and border guards. They defended Mariupol and other areas in the Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk regions.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War clarified that 246 soldiers were returned as part of the prisoner exchange, and another 31 people were released outside the exchange.
Most of those who were able to be returned are young people born after 2000. A servicewoman who has been in captivity since May 2022 will see her family today.
Nine officers and 268 privates and non-commissioned officers were returned.
The current exchange is the fourth this year and the 63rd since the start of the full-scale invasion. In total, 4 552 people — soldiers and civilians — have been returned home from Russian captivity since the start of the full-scale war. The United Arab Emirates acted as a mediator in this exchange.
The liberated defenders will be provided with all necessary medical care. All those released will undergo a medical examination, receive treatment, and be provided with everything they need for the first time. They will also receive all monetary payments for the entire time they were in captivity and a one-time financial assistance.
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