Most freed in latest POW exchange Ukrainian officers held since 2022

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

“Today, another stage of the large-scale prisoner exchange under the category of ‘wounded and seriously ill’ took place, in accordance with agreements reached in Istanbul. The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, on the instructions of the President of Ukraine, has returned defenders from Russian captivity who suffered injuries and health issues,” the statement reads.

The service members who returned home include personnel from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, specifically from the Air Assault Forces, the Naval Forces, and the Territorial Defense Force, as well as the State Border Guard Service, the National Guard of Ukraine, and the State Special Transport Service.

The majority of the defenders released today had been in captivity since 2022. A significant portion were captured during the defense of Mariupol.

“Most of the defenders freed today are officers. Some of the released are also under the age of 25,” the Coordination Headquarters noted.

In total, the returning Ukrainians had fought on various fronts, including Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Kursk directions.

The released defenders will undergo necessary medical examinations, receive physical and psychological rehabilitation, and be granted all due payments for the entire duration of their captivity.

The Coordination Headquarters continues its efforts, and another stage of prisoner release is expected in the near future.

As Ukrinform previously reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the fourth prisoners of war exchange with the Russian Federation within a week.