Ukraine achieves separate format for the return of prisoners: What is known
Photo: one of the released prisoners on January 15 (t.me/Koord_shtab)
The Ukrainian side has achieved a separate format for the return of its citizens from Russian captivity, specifically for those who are seriously ill and wounded, according to a statement from Andrii Yusov, a representative of the Defense Intelligence, as well as a post from the Coordination Headquarters on Telegram.
According to Yusov, today's exchange took place in a separate format.
"There was a mutual return of the seriously ill and severely wounded. This is a significant event. Ukraine has achieved a separate format for the return of seriously ill and severely wounded Ukrainian defenders and civilians," he said, expressing hope that exchanges in this direction will occur more quickly. The Coordination Headquarters' statement notes that among those freed are people with vision loss, amputations, complex gunshot wounds, and consequences of mine-explosive injuries. It also includes people with tuberculosis, cancer, and gangrene.
"According to the Third Geneva Convention, it is the seriously ill and severely wounded who should be returned first," the headquarters added.
What is known about the exchange on January 15
Today, 25 individuals were freed from Russian captivity, including one civilian.
Among those released are defenders of Mariupol and Azovstal, fighters who were captured during battles in the Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions. The exchange took place with the mediation of the UAE.
Many of them are in critical condition and were hospitalized after crossing the border.
It is worth noting that the previous prisoner exchange took place on December 30, 2024, just before the New Year. At that time, Ukraine managed to bring back 189 individuals.
Thus, since the beginning of the full-scale war, Ukraine and Russia have conducted 59 exchanges. Over 3,500 Ukrainians have been returned from Russian captivity.
Head of the Defense Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov mentioned last fall that special attention would be paid to the release of women, seriously ill and wounded individuals, as well as those who have been held captive for a long time.
