On the night of October 19, the 58th exchange of prisoners of war between Ukraine and the Russian Federation took place - another 95 Ukrainian soldiers were rescued from enemy captivity.
Points of attention
- Among those released: National Guardsmen, military sailors, soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, border guards and representatives of other units of the Security and Defense Forces.
- The peculiarity of this exchange is the successful rescue of Ukrainians who received heavy sentences in the Russian Federation.
- 34 fighters of the "Azov" brigade, who were in captivity for 2.5 years, returned home.
Ukraine returned home another 95 defenders
The head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyi was the first to announce the return of Ukrainian defenders.
95 of our people are home again. Soldiers who defended Mariupol and "Azovstal", Donetsk region, Luhansk region, Kharkiv region, Kyiv region, Chernihiv region, Kherson region. Every time Ukraine rescues its people from Russian captivity, we move closer to the day when freedom will be restored to all those in Russian captivity.
Volodymyr Zelenskyi
President of Ukraine
In addition, the president expressed his gratitude to the team of people who are engaged in the search and release of prisoners, the soldiers who replenish the exchange fund and all the partners who help.
As the head of state noted, Ukraine will do everything possible to save all prisoners of war.
It is worth noting that the new exchange took place thanks to the coordinated work of the Coordination Staff on the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
The Headquarters emphasizes that the peculiarity of this exchange is that it was possible to save many Ukrainians who received so-called "sentences" from the judicial system of the aggressor country and were "sentenced": 28 — to long terms, and 20 — to life imprisonment for protection of one's own land from an aggressor.
We also express our deep gratitude for the help and comprehensive support in organizing the exchange to the United Arab Emirates. Among those released from captivity today are national guardsmen, military sailors, soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, border guards and representatives of other units of the Security and Defense Forces.
In addition, it is emphasized that 69 soldiers and sergeants and 26 officers are among those dismissed.
Many have serious illnesses and the effects of severe injuries, as well as severe weight loss due to torture and malnutrition.
34 "Azov" fighters returned home during the exchange
This information was officially confirmed by the commander of the "Azov" brigade, Denys "Redis" Prokopenko.
In times of heavy fighting, such news gives the personnel of the 12th "Azov" brigade strength and raises the morale. Another 34 Azov servicemen returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity, Redis emphasized.
He also noted that the rescued soldiers defended Mariupol for 86 days, were ordered to leave the territory of "Azovstal" and spent 2.5 years in Russian captivity.
Prokopenko reminded that it was "thanks to the soldiers of the Mariupol garrison that Ukraine withstood the first blow in the spring of 2022."
I welcome you to your native land and thank you for your steadfastness and loyalty to the Motherland. The personnel of the brigade was eagerly waiting for each of you and did everything possible to replenish the exchange fund with captured Russians, — said the commander.
In addition, he added that about 900 Azov fighters remain in Russian prisons.
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