Touching return - Ukrainian troops weep and embrace the ground, video
Prisoner exchange on July 4 (photo: facebook.com/zelenskyy.official)
Today, July 4, another stage of the prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia took place, reports the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Touching footage has appeared online showing defenders stepping onto Ukrainian soil for the first time and calling their loved ones.
The freed defenders could not hold back their tears and kissed the Ukrainian soil.
"We believed in you. Thank you for your support and your faith, for not leaving us," one of the defenders said.
In the footage shared by the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, it's also clear that many of the soldiers are injured. One still has swelling and a bruise near the eye, and another has his hands wrapped in bandages.
In another video published by Lubinets, a defender calls his mother. At first, the man is calm when he greets her, but after hearing her voice, he bursts into tears.
"My dear mommy, hi… Stay strong, I will protect and take care of you," he says.
Today, wounded, seriously ill, young defenders were returned home, as well as soldiers who had been considered missing in action or sentenced to long terms in Russia. Most were captured in 2022.
Prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia
Following agreements in Istanbul on May 16 regarding a large-scale "1000-for-1000" exchange, Ukraine and Russia conducted three stages of exchange between May 23 and 25.
During the second round of talks, which took place on June 2 in Turkey, the parties agreed on a new formula: an "all for all" exchange of the severely wounded, seriously ill, and soldiers aged 18 to 25.
Under these agreements, several exchanges have already taken place, including the release of soldiers from the Ground Forces, Territorial Defense, Air Assault Forces, Drone Forces, State Border Guard Service, and the National Guard.
