Today, 207 defenders returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity. This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
“Ours are at home. 207 boys. We return in spite of everything. We remember everyone in captivity. Soldiers and civilians. We have to return everyone. Now is another great work of the Ukrainian team. Budanov, Yermak, Usov, Malyuk, Klymenko – well done!” – a message appeared on the Telegram channel of President Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
Among the released prisoners of war are soldiers of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Security Service, and the National Police.
Many defenders of Mariupol, soldiers who were on “Azovstal”, Zmiiny Island, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kharkiv, Luhansk and Sumy directions returned home.
Junior Sergeant Zakhar was rescued from enemy captivity. He fell into the hands of Russian terrorists together with his wife Tatyana after the evacuation from Azovstal in May 2022. The woman was exchanged and returned to Ukraine in less than six months. Tatyana settled with her two daughters in Dnipro.
On January 14, the Russians hit a high-rise building where the family lived with a rocket. The defender died under the rubble together with her younger daughter and her husband’s mother. Ruslana’s eldest 19-year-old daughter is waiting for her father’s return today.
The medics who saved their brothers and civilians in superhuman conditions at the Mariupol Metallurgical Plant and Azovstal are returning home. The senior lieutenant, who has been defending Ukraine since 2014, returned to his native land, passed through Debaltsevo and was twice awarded the Order of Courage.
Two brothers, soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Anatoly and Pavlo, were freed from captivity. Another defender of Zmiiny Island was also saved
At least 36 of those released from captivity are injured or seriously ill.
The oldest of those who returned to Ukraine today turned 61, and the youngest will soon be 21.
It was the 50th exchange of prisoners.
In exchange for the Ukrainian military, 195 enemy soldiers were sent to Russia. This was reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
We will remind, at the beginning of January, 230 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians were returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity. This is the largest number that managed to be released from captivity. In general, representatives of Ukraine managed to return 2,828 prisoners over the past two years.
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