As part of the activities of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War on behalf of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine has successfully conducted the largest exchange of prisoners of war. A total of 230 Ukrainian defenders returned home, including 130 members of the Armed Forces, 55 members of the National Guard, 38 members of the State Border Guard Service, one member of the National Police and six civilians.
Of those who returned, 182 had official prisoner of war status confirmed by the International Committee of the Red Cross, and 48 were considered missing. Most of those released were men (225), five were women. Most of them were privates and sergeants (213 people), as well as eleven officers.
Among those released was a combat medic from the 36th Brigade, who, while in captivity, always spoke Ukrainian, despite Russian attempts to mislead her about the exchange. Also, seven defenders of Zmiinyi Island, a military musician, an Armed Forces servicewoman who was imprisoned during her maternity leave, National Guardsmen from the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, a civilian teacher and Mariupol defenders returned to Ukraine.
The head of the Coordination Headquarters Kirill Budanov, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets and the Secretary of the Coordination Headquarters Dmytro Usov came to meet the released people.
I know that you (Kyrylo Budanov – ed.) and the DIU team did the most to make this exchange happen. Thank you and let’s keep working.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, commented on the exchange.
Another exchange was held today. Finally, after a considerable period of time, we managed to carry out a very complicated exchange (of prisoners – ed.). Today, 230 Ukrainian defenders returned to Ukraine.
This exchange has been a long time in the making. The United Arab Emirates also directly participated in the organization of this process. And with her help, together, we were able to do it.
said Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine and the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
