On Friday, July 4, Ukraine and Russia held a new stage of prisoner exchange. Ukrainian servicemen, most of whom have been in captivity since 2022, have returned home. This was announced by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, quoted by Radio NV, reports Focus.
„Ukraine has returned servicemen who were held in various regions - Donetsk, Mariupol, Luhansk, Kharkiv and Kherson regions. "Last week, servicemen from the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Service, the State Special Transport Service, as well as civilians were released," Zelensky specified.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War added that the exchange was carried out in accordance with the Istanbul Agreements - on the return of wounded, seriously ill and prisoners of war under the age of 25.
The youngest of the released Ukrainian soldiers is only 20 years old, and the oldest is 59. Among those returned are not only privates and sergeants, but also officers. Defenders of Mariupol who had been in captivity for over three years were also released.