Translated with AI
As a result of a new prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, 84 Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel and civilians, have returned home. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this on his Telegram channel.
"We're bringing Ukrainians home. The new exchange involves 84 people. These include both military and civilians. Almost all of them require medical care and long-term rehabilitation. Among the civilians are those who were held in Russian custody since 2014, 2016, and 2017. Among the military are the defenders of Mariupol," Zelenskyy noted, thanking the United Arab Emirates for facilitating the exchange.
According to the president, the bravery and success of Ukrainian units on the front lines make it possible to create an "exchange fund" for the return of prisoners. He emphasized that such exchanges will continue.
According to Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament's Human Rights Commissioner, 51 civilians, including men and women, political prisoners and medical workers, were among those released. "Some had been held captive since 2015-2016, while others were detained by Russia after 2022 in temporarily occupied territories," he said.
The released soldiers include members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the State Border Service, including those captured in the first months of the full-scale conflict. A significant number are officers. They are aged between 25 and 49, and many have injuries and illnesses.
The youngest of the released civilians is 26 years old, the eldest is 74. All of them require medical care and rehabilitation.
Since March 2022, according to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War of Ukraine, more than 5,700 people have been released through exchanges and negotiations, and over 500 more have been returned without exchanges.
