We will do everything to bring back everyone: Zelenskyy on 50th prisoner swap with Russia
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would make every effort to bring back every citizen from captivity in Russia, according to the president's statement on Telegram.
"Now, there is good news. This is the kind of news we all have been waiting for. Today, we managed to release another 207 Ukrainians from Russian captivity. Among them are 180 enlisted and sergeants and 27 officers. Almost half of them are defenders from Mariupol, including servicemen from the Armed Forces, National Guard, units of the State Border Guard Service, and National Police," said the president.
He informed that this was the 50th exchange of prisoners since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine has managed to bring back 3035 citizens from Russian captivity.
"We very often heard - at different moments - that something would not work out. When you know exactly what to do, everything succeeds. Even what may seem impossible to someone. Ukraine knows how to achieve its goals," emphasized Zelenskyy.
Today it became known that Ukraine was able to bring back 207 citizens from Russian captivity.
According to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, among the rescued servicemen:
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95 soldiers of the Armed Forces;
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56 National Guard servicemen;
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26 border guards;
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29 Territorial Defense fighters;
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1 representative of the National Police.
In particular:
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180 soldiers who returned home are from the enlisted and sergeant ranks;
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27 Ukrainian officers.
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The oldest of the released soldiers is 61 years old, and the youngest will turn 21 soon.
Prisoner exchange
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv and Moscow have conducted a series of exchanges of prisoners of war. Although the enemy froze the process in August, on January 3, the largest exchange of prisoners since the start of the war took place. At that time, 230 defenders returned home.
On January 24, Ukraine and Russia were supposed to conduct the 50th exchange of prisoners, but it was disrupted due to the crash of the Il-76 plane near Belgorod. The Russians claimed that dozens of Ukrainian prisoners were allegedly on board the plane. However, Ukraine does not confirm this.
Later, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine noted that the disrupted exchange was supposed to be one of the largest during the war.
