Emotional video: Ukrainian soldiers liberated in June 19 swap are finally home
Photo: A soldier released from captivity calls his family (t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)
Touching videos have appeared online showing defenders returning home as part of the latest prisoner exchange on June 19.
The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, published a video featuring one of the released soldiers, who said he believed he had to return "with a clear mind" to tell the story of the men who remain in captivity.
"I always hoped, I waited for this day. I must come back, stay in my right mind, and speak about the guys still waiting to be freed," the soldier said.
The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS) released a video showing one freed prisoner tearfully calling his family.
"I'm already home, I'm already in Ukraine. I came back on my own two feet, and everything is fine. I'm near, I'm not far," he says.
The SBGS noted that while the faces of the released soldiers appear exhausted, their eyes are alive – they went through hell, but they endured and returned to their homeland.
One of the videos shows a former prisoner learning that he will soon become a grandfather.
Dmytro Lubinets also shared that one of the released defenders is celebrating his birthday today. The man turned 45 on June 19.
"This is a special day because he is spending it at home, on his native land," Lubinets wrote.
Earlier, we reported that Ukraine and Russia conducted a new prisoner exchange on June 19. Most of the released defenders, mainly from the ranks of privates and sergeants, had been held captive since 2022, and many were wounded or seriously ill. Among the released were soldiers who had fought on various fronts, including during the defense of Mariupol. The next steps for them will be medical treatment and rehabilitation.
During the second round of negotiations in Istanbul on June 2, Ukraine and Russia agreed on a large-scale prisoner exchange. They agreed to release wounded and severely ill soldiers, as well as all prisoners aged 18 to 25.
The initial phases of the exchange took place on June 9, 10, 12, and 14. During the latest phase, soldiers held since 2022, including Mariupol defenders, were released.
A separate exchange of the bodies of fallen soldiers was carried out according to the "6000 for 6000" formula on June 11, 13, and 14. More than 3,600 fallen soldiers have already been returned to Ukraine.
