Eight civilians freed from Russian captivity — Coordination Headquarters

According to Ukrinform, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported this on Telegram.

“Today, on Ukraine’s Independence Day, another prisoner exchange took place under the instructions of the President of Ukraine. Under the agreements reached in Istanbul, Ukrainian servicemen were returned home, and as part of the 68th exchange, eight Ukrainian civilians were also freed,” the report said.

Among the released defenders are representatives of nearly all branches of Ukraine’s Defense Forces, including Air Assault Forces, Air Force, Navy, as well as fighters from the Territorial Defense Forces, National Guard, and State Border Guard Service. All belong to the ranks of privates and sergeants, with most having spent more than three years in captivity.

The returning servicemen defended Mariupol, as well as positions in the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, and Sumy regions, and guarded the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Some were captured in temporarily occupied territories, including Crimea.

“Finally, two Ukrainian journalists, Dmytro Khyliuk and Mark Kaliush, are free. They were illegally detained by the occupiers in 2022 and 2023. Among the freed civilians is also medic Serhii Kovaliov from the Hospitallers battalion, who saved the lives of defenders and civilians during the siege of the Azovstal plant. Returning home as well is former Kherson mayor Volodymyr Mykolaienko, who refused to collaborate with the occupiers,” the statement said.

The freed Ukrainians will receive comprehensive medical assistance, including full health examinations and treatment. They will also be granted state financial support and undergo rehabilitation and reintegration after enduring prolonged captivity.

The Coordination Headquarters expressed gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for assistance in facilitating the release of Ukrainian civilians, as well as sincere thanks to all agencies and organizations involved for their coordinated efforts.