President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the return of 157 Ukrainian citizens from Russian captivity on February 5.
Points of attention
- President Zelenskyy announced the successful return of 157 Ukrainian prisoners from Russian captivity on February 5.
- The exchange of prisoners between Ukraine and Russia was made possible by the dedication and hard work of Ukrainian soldiers defending their country.
157 Ukrainians returned home from Russian captivity
Zelenskyy noted that 157 Ukrainians are soldiers of the Armed Forces, National Guard, State Border Service — soldiers, sergeants and officers. Civilians are also returning with the defenders. Most have been in captivity since 2022.
Today's exchange took place after a long pause, and it is very important that it was implemented. Thank you to everyone who works for the exchanges, and to everyone who replenishes the exchange fund for Ukraine at the front. Without the determination of our soldiers, such exchanges would not be possible, so every result of our units is something that supports and enables us to return Ukrainians home from Russia.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine
Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine will continue to work to free its people from captivity.
We must return and we will definitely return everyone. We are working on every last name. So that every family can wait for theirs.
According to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the released servicemen defended the country in the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Kherson, Sumy, and Kyiv directions.
Most of the Defenders liberated today were captured during the defense of Mariupol.
A National Guard serviceman captured during the capture of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is also returning home.
The 139 Ukrainian citizens released today had been in Russian captivity since 2022.
A special feature of today's exchange is that it was possible to return illegally convicted Ukrainians home.
The youngest released Defender turned 23. He was captured at the age of 19 during the defense of Mariupol. A Russian court illegally sentenced the young man to “life imprisonment.”
The oldest defender released today is 63 years old.
