Ukraine has brought home 205 soldiers from captivity
Ukraine has repatriated 205 servicemen from Russian captivity. This marks the first phase of a large-scale prisoner exchange in a 1,000-for-1,000 format. Among those released are soldiers from various military units, most of whom had been held captive since 2022, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
205 servicemen who had been held in Russian captivity have returned to Ukraine, marking the start of the first phase of a large-scale 1,000-for-1,000 exchange previously agreed upon by the parties.
Among those released are representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service, including privates, sergeants, and officers who had been held captive for a long time, mostly since 2022.
Many of them participated in combat operations in the hottest areas, particularly in Mariupol and at Azovstal, as well as in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kyiv regions; some of them also served in the Chernobyl area.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy notes that the release was made possible thanks to the work of Ukrainian agencies involved in the return of prisoners of war, as well as the support of partners facilitating the exchanges. “Thank you to everyone working to bring our people home, first and foremost our soldiers who are replenishing Ukraine’s exchange pool, and our team. We will continue to fight for every man and woman who remains in captivity,” writes the President of Ukraine.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported that negotiations on an exchange between Ukraine and Russia are ongoing. The Ukrainian side has submitted the so-called “list of 1,000,” compiled based on the length of time people have spent in Russian captivity.
As a reminder, Ukraine is preparing a large-scale prisoner exchange with Russia with U.S. mediation.
According to Yury Ushakov, an adviser to the Russian dictator, Ukraine and Russia are currently working on lists of people who could be included in the exchange. “Today, Russian and Ukrainian agencies are to finalize the lists for the prisoner of war exchange within the framework of the ceasefire. A 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine could take place fairly quickly if the lists are agreed upon,” Ushakov told Russian media.
The Kremlin also stated that the negotiation process regarding Ukraine is currently on hold and the date of the next round is unknown. Officials there speak of the need for “conditions” that the parties must fulfill before resuming dialogue.
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