New prisoner exchange brings home 160 Ukrainian troops who spent four years in Russian captivity – photos
Ukraine has brought 160 Ukrainian citizens back from Russian captivity in the latest prisoner exchange.
Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy; Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War on social media
Quote from Zelenskyy: "We continue bringing Ukrainians home from Russian captivity. Today, 160 service members were released from captivity. All of them had been held captive since 2022.
Among those released today are service members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service, National Guard warriors, and border guards. They defended Ukraine in Mariupol and at Azovstal, as well as in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy sectors."
Details: The Coordination Headquarters said this was the 76th prisoner exchange and that it was a combined exchange.
Those returning home include personnel from the Armed Forces of Ukraine – the Ground Forces, Support Forces, Air Assault Forces, Territorial Defence Forces, Air Force, Medical Forces and Navy – as well as fighters from the National Guard of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service and the State Border Guard Service.
Among those released are 115 defenders of Mariupol.
In addition to privates and sergeants, Ukraine has also secured the return of 58 officers.
The youngest defender is 26 and the oldest is 66.
All those freed will undergo medical examinations and receive the treatment they need as well as financial assistance and documents, and will undergo rehabilitation to help them reintegrate into society after their prolonged isolation in Russian captivity.
Background: Since its establishment, the Coordination Headquarters has secured the return of 9,606 Ukrainian military personnel and civilians from captivity.
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