"Almost all of the freed soldiers spent four years in captivity," said the Coordination Headquarters
As part of the first phase of the 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange, servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine returned home, including members of the Navy, the Army, the Airborne Forces, the Transport Troops, and the Air Force, as well as soldiers from the National Guard and the State Border Guard Service.
This was reported by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
The agency noted that virtually all of the defenders released today had been in captivity for about four years, and a significant portion of them were captured during the defense of Mariupol. It was precisely the length of their captivity that became one of the key criteria for compiling the exchange lists.
“Virtually all of the servicemen released today spent four years in captivity. Most of them were captured during the defense of Mariupol. It is precisely the length of captivity that is the key principle in forming the ‘1,000 for 1,000’ exchange lists. In addition to soldiers and sergeants, more than fifty officers were brought home,” the statement reads.
Also among those released is a National Guard soldier who was captured during the events at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
The Coordination Headquarters reported that the youngest released defender is 21 years old, and the oldest is 62.
In total, Ukrainians who fought in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kyiv regions are returning home.
Upon their return, the soldiers will be transported to medical centers for examination, treatment, and rehabilitation. They will also receive the necessary assistance, documents, and appropriate financial payments.
Today, May 15, the 74th prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia took place, during which 205 Ukrainian servicemen returned home.
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 over 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.
