A National Guard soldier who had been guarding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant has returned from Russian captivity
Ukraine has repatriated a National Guard soldier from Russian captivity who was stationed at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant during its occupation. He was among the defenders released as part of the large-scale “1,000 for 1,000” prisoner exchange.
A total of 205 Ukrainian defenders returned home, including nearly all National Guard members from the Chernobyl plant. This was reported by the Ministry of Energy.
Ukraine continues to bring its military personnel home from Russian captivity, and among those released this time was a National Guard soldier who served at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant during its occupation.
This was reported by the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, which emphasized that the return of 205 defenders was part of the first phase of a large-scale exchange between Ukraine and Russia. “Among them is one National Guard soldier who was taken prisoner at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Ukraine has returned almost all National Guard members from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and continues to fight for everyone who remains in Russian captivity,” the ministry noted.
The ministry added that the return of the defenders was a symbolic and significant moment that many families had been waiting for years, as some of them had been in captivity since the first days of the full-scale invasion.
The freed defenders are already on Ukrainian territory, where they are undergoing the necessary recovery and rehabilitation procedures following their captivity.
The Ukrainian side emphasizes that efforts to return all military personnel and civilians remaining in Russian prisons are ongoing, and each new exchange is the result of complex negotiations and international support.
During the first phase of the large-scale prisoner exchange, 20 soldiers from the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine “Azov” returned to Ukraine, 19 of whom were defenders of Mariupol and had spent nearly four years in Russian captivity.
Ukraine and Russia conducted a prisoner-of-war exchange on a 205-for-205 basis, according to preliminary data from reports by the Russian side and Telegram channels. Official details regarding the location, time, and lists of participants are currently being clarified.
Ukraine has managed to repatriate more than 9,000 of its citizens from Russian captivity, including both military personnel and hundreds of civilians. This was reported by Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, who emphasized that efforts to bring people home are ongoing.
In 2025, Ukraine recorded a record number of civilian deaths since the start of the full-scale war. According to official data, Russia remains the biggest violator of human rights, and the number of victims and the extent of destruction continue to rise.
