Ukraine returns more than 200 soldiers and civilians from Russian captivity

Ukraine has brought back more than 200 of its military and civilians from Russian captivity. Source: President Zelenskyy on social media, PoW Coordination Headquarters Quote: "Our people are home.

Today, we brought back over 200 warriors and civilians from Russian captivity - soldiers, sergeants and officers.  [They are members of] the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the Navy, and Border Guards. Some of the defenders fought in Mariupol and Azovstal. 

I thank everyone who, despite all difficulties, brings our people home. I am grateful to our defenders.

We are making every effort to bring back all of our people who are still in Russian captivity." Details: The Ukrainian PoW Coordination Headquarters notes that this is the largest exchange of prisoners of war during the full-scale invasion so far. 230 Ukrainian defenders are coming home.

Among them are 130 soldiers from the Armed Forces of Ukraine (including 14 from the Territorial Defence and 14 from the Navy); 55 from the National Guard; 38 from the State Border Guard Service; one from the National Police, and six civilians who were illegally imprisoned.

Among those brought back were both those who had official prisoner of war status confirmed through the International Committee of the Red Cross (182 people) and those Ukrainian servicemen who were considered missing and had the status of a "person on a search list" (48). Most of the released persons are men (225), five are women. There are 213 privates and non-commissioned officers, and eleven are officers.

Quote: "After gruelling months of captivity, in particular, a combat medic from the 36th [Marine] Brigade came back to Ukraine. While in captivity, she spoke Ukrainian out of principle. The Russians imitated her exchange several times, but eventually brought her back to the place of detention.

Seven defenders of Zmiinyi (Snake) Island; a musician of a military orchestra; a servicewoman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who was imprisoned by the Russians while on maternity leave; National Guardsmen who were captured while performing their duties at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant; a civilian lecturer of the Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University [in occupied Luhansk], and the defenders of Mariupol will finally see their families and friends." For reference: The aggressor country's Ministry of Defence reports that on 3 January, "as a result of a complex negotiation process, 248 Russian servicemen were brought back from the territory controlled by the Kyiv regime". According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the return of the Russian military from captivity was made possible by the humanitarian mediation of the UAE.

Background: For a long time, the exchange of prisoners of war was blocked by Russia.

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