Today, as part of the 55th exchange of prisoners, 115 Ukrainian defenders were returned, 82 of whom were Mariupol defenders, 50 of whom were defending Azovstal. This was reported on Saturday by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, UNN reports.
Details
"Today, on our Independence Day, thanks to the hard work of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, another 115 Ukrainians were returned from enemy captivity on behalf of the President of Ukraine. All of those rescued during the 55th prisoner exchange are conscripts, including those who were captured during the heroic defense of their homeland in the first months of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. Among others, nine illegally convicted defenders were released. Navy sailors and three border guards were released, as well as 82 Mariupol defenders (fifty of them defended Azovstal)," the statement said.
It is noted that six National Guardsmen from the garrison of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, servicemen who defended Kyiv, Donetsk, Kherson and Luhansk regions, are also returning home.
"Ukrainian soldiers who were liberated from enemy captivity today also took part in heavy battles for Gostomel and the reserve command post of the General Staff in Kyiv region, and in Kherson region - for the Chongar checkpoint on the administrative border with the temporarily occupied Crimea," the headquarters added.
It also emphasizes that many of the liberated Ukrainian soldiers have health problems as a result of injuries and Russia's failure to comply with international humanitarian law in captivity.
"All of them will undergo a medical examination, receive the necessary treatment, psychological assistance, reintegrate into our society and receive the due payments," the headquarters summarized.
Recall
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the return of 115 Ukrainian defenders from Russian captivity.