Among those freed were 82 privates and sergeants, as well as 21 officers, according to Zelensky’s statement. "Our people are home," he said in a social media post, adding that the released POWs were defenders from various regions, including Kyiv, Donetsk, Mariupol, and Azovstal, as well as Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv.
In a separate announcement, the Azov Angels charity fund revealed that 23 of the released individuals were Azov fighters, who had been held in Russian captivity for more than two years. These fighters had gained international recognition for their valiant defense of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol during the first months of the war. Russian forces captured Mariupol and its remaining defenders in May 2022.
Ukraine's Ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, noted that the majority of those freed had been held captive since the early days of the war, and that many returned in poor health, requiring serious rehabilitation after enduring harsh conditions in captivity.
International organizations, including the United Nations, have previously reported on the widespread torture and mistreatment of Ukrainian POWs in Russian custody, with some detainees dying due to "blunt force trauma" and other causes.
This exchange marks the 57th prisoner swap since the war began and the second to take place within two days. On Sept. 13, 49 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, including members of the Armed Forces, National Guard, police, and border guards, were also freed from Russian captivity.
Since the onset of the conflict, a total of 3,672 Ukrainians have been returned home. Kyiv continues to push for an "all-for-all" prisoner exchange, a topic that was discussed during Ukraine's peace summit in Switzerland in mid-June. (ILKHA)