Ukraine has held the largest prisoner exchange with Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion. In particular, 95 defenders of the Azovstal plant in Mariupol returned home.
This was reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.
144 servicemen were released from captivity. "Of the 144 released, 95 are Azovstal defenders, including 43 servicemen of the Azov Regiment," the agency said.
During this exchange, the following were released from captivity:
- 59 soldiers of the National Guard;
- 30 Navy fighters;
- 28 military Armed Forces of Ukraine;
- 17 border guards;
- 9 Territorial Defense fighters;
- one police officer.
Of these, 23 officers and 69 sergeants and non-commissioned officers. The oldest of the released turned 65, the youngest — 19.
Most of the released Ukrainians have serious injuries: gunshot and shrapnel wounds, explosive injuries, burns, fractures, amputations of limbs.
- On June 22, Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, said that Ukraine could soon receive some of its prisoners of war, whom Russia had captured in Mariupol.
- On May 19, members of the International Committee of the Red Cross were able to visit some Ukrainian servicemen who had left the Azovstal plant in Mariupol and were in occupied Olenivka, Donetsk Oblast. The visit was confidential, details about the conditions of detention of Ukrainian defenders are not disclosed.
- On June 6, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that more than 2,500 defenders of Mariupol were being held captive by the Russians. He believes that it is unprofitable for the Russians to torture the Ukrainian military from Azovstal because they are "public prisoners."