Ukraine returned a group of seriously ill prisoners of war from Russian captivity. The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War announced the new stage of the exchange.
Servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including representatives of the Navy, Airborne Assault Forces, Territorial Defence Forces, State Border Guard Service and National Guard, have returned to their homeland.
All those released are privates and sergeants, most of whom spent more than three years in captivity. A significant number of them were captured during the defence of Mariupol.
‘Each of the defenders released today has serious medical diagnoses and illnesses as a result of injuries and captivity. Many have significant weight loss, dystrophy, ulcers, vision problems, musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and digestive problems,’ the statement said.
In total, Ukrainians who fought in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kyiv regions are returning home.