Ukraine returns 25 more people from Russian captivity
Photo: prisoner exchange on January 15 (https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)
Today, on January 15, Ukraine returned 25 more of its citizens from Russian captivity. Among them are defenders of Mariupol and Azovstal, as well as a civilian, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to Zelenskyy, the released prisoners include defenders of Mariupol and Azovstal, as well as Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.
They have serious injuries and illnesses. Each of them will receive all the necessary medical care.
“I am grateful to the team that searches for our people and organizes this important work. We extend our gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for their assistance in making today's event possible,” Zelenskyy wrote.
The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, clarified that seriously wounded and seriously ill defenders who had spent a long time in captivity had returned home. Among those returned is also a civilian captured by Russians in the Kyiv region.
“This long-awaited and extremely important event became possible thanks to the hard work of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Ukrainian negotiators, and the support of the UAE's international partners,” Lubinets said.
At the same time, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine clarified that all the returned servicemen are soldiers, sailors, and sergeants. The youngest liberated soldier is 24 years old. The oldest is 60.
According to the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, the wounded have, among other things, loss of vision, amputations, complex bullet wounds, and the consequences of mine injuries. Among the diseases are tuberculosis, oncology, and gangrene. This is an indication of the conditions in which Ukrainian prisoners have to live.
Updated
According to Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko, two servicemen from the Ministry of Internal Affairs have been freed from captivity: a border guard who defended the Kharkiv region and a guardsman who participated in the defense of Mariupol.
"Their health condition is severe. They were immediately hospitalized after crossing the border. Now, medics will fight for their recovery and rehabilitation," Klymenko wrote.
The guardsman had been awaited by his family since May 2022, and the border guard since the summer of 2023.
Prisoner exchange on December 30
The previous exchange took place on Monday, December 30, when Ukraine returned 189 more of its citizens from Russian captivity. These are the defenders of Azovstal and Mariupol, the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, Zmiinyi Island, and different frontline areas.
There are soldiers, sergeants, and officers among the returnees. These are National Guard members, including Azov, border guards, anti-terrorism fighters, and members of the Navy and Armed Forces.
