The soldiers, who were part of Ukraine's National Guard, army, navy, and State Border Guard Service, have returned home.

According to Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s Ombudsman, the released prisoners of war (POWs) include defenders of Azovstal, the soldiers who made a last stand in Mariupol, and National Guardsmen stationed at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Other returning soldiers were involved in defending Kyiv, as well as the Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson regions.

"We remember everyone. We are searching for them and making every effort to bring them all back," President Zelensky stated, underscoring the ongoing efforts to secure the return of Ukrainian soldiers.

Lubinets noted that many of the POWs have "serious health conditions" as a result of their captivity. Zelensky extended his gratitude to his team and international partners, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for facilitating the soldiers' return.

Arab nations like the UAE and Saudi Arabia have consistently played a mediating role in prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia. This marks the 55th such exchange since the onset of the full-scale conflict, with a total of 3,520 Ukrainian POWs brought back home, according to Lubinets. (ILKHA)