Ukraine and Russia carried out a prisoner exchange on a 270-for-270 basis
On Friday, October 23, Ukraine repatriated 270 of its prisoners of war from Russian captivity.
This was reported by Russian propaganda media. Confirmation from official Ukrainian representatives came later.
The
Return of Our Heroes
The
Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported that servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine—including the Navy, the Army, the Airborne Forces, the Special Forces, the Transport Troops, Special Operations Forces, the Special Forces, fighters from the National Guard of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service, as well as a rescuer from the State Emergency Service.
“More than half of the defenders freed today were taken prisoner in 2022, specifically during the defense of Mariupol. Five of them survived the terrorist attack in Olenivka in the infamous ‘Barrack 200.’
Another nine are seriously ill,” the headquarters reported.
Who were they exchanged for?
Russian media report that those returned to Russia are currently in Belarus. Yana Lantratova, Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner, is working with them.
For the first time in a long while, Russia has received militants from the “LPR” and “DPR.” Ukraine also exchanged our prisoners of war for 35 mobilized Russian occupiers. Among those returned to Russia are 21 officers and 70 sergeants. Seventy-eight people (29%) have no more than a 9th-grade education.
As a reminder, on October 23, Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets met with Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova in Belarus.
On October 23, Ukraine returned seven more civilians from the occupied territories to government-controlled areas. Among them were a 90-year-old woman with limited mobility, a 50-year-old Ukrainian woman with serious health conditions, as well as a young woman and her child.
Prior to this, as a result of repatriation efforts, the bodies of 252 deceased individuals—who, according to the Russian side, were Ukrainian servicemen—were returned to Ukraine. This was reported by representatives of the relevant Ukrainian agencies.
Earlier, the Russian side had handed over the bodies of 252 deceased servicemen to Ukraine. The repatriation of the bodies was carried out in accordance with agreements between the parties.
