A new prisoner exchange has occurred between Ukraine and Russia, resulting in the return of 185 military personnel and 20 civilians to their homeland. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this on his Telegram channel.
«We are bringing home 185 of our heroes who have been held captive by Russia. One hundred eighty-three are soldiers and sergeants, with two being officers. They represent the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service. Additionally, 20 civilians are returning with them. All will receive the necessary support,» Zelensky stated.
He emphasized that the returned soldiers had been held in captivity in Mariupol and at «Azovstal», with many having been captured since 2022.
«A big thank you to everyone who makes these exchanges possible. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, we have managed to bring back over 7,000 of our people. We must bring everyone home. We are working on this every day,» the President stressed.
It is worth noting that the last prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia took place on August 24, during which military personnel and civilians, including journalist Dmytro Khilyuk and former mayor of Kherson Volodymyr Mykolaienko, were returned.