During the latest prisoner exchange with the Russian Federation, a group of military personnel with severe injuries and serious health issues returned to Ukraine. This was reported by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Details of the Exchange and the Condition of the Released Soldiers
As part of the agreements reached in Istanbul, this time it was possible to release prisoners categorized as “seriously ill and injured.” According to the headquarters, military personnel from various units returned home: the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Naval Forces, the Air Assault Forces, the Territorial Defense Forces, the State Border Guard Service, and the National Guard. Each of them has serious diagnoses resulting from injuries and prolonged captivity.
“Many have significant weight loss, dystrophy, ulcers, vision problems, musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and digestive issues.”
Most of the released military personnel spent over three years in captivity. A significant portion of this group was captured during the defense of Mariupol. Among the released are privates and sergeants who participated in combat operations in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, as well as in the Zaporizhzhia and Kyiv regions.
Next Steps and the Reaction of the Ukrainian Side
The Coordination Headquarters reports that work on the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war continues, and the next stage of the exchange is already being prepared.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the return of the defenders, emphasizing the importance of the efforts of all those involved in the exchange process:
“We are working on bringing our people back. Thank you to everyone who helps make these exchanges possible. Our goal is to free each and every one.”
The number of individuals released in this stage of the exchange has not been disclosed.
On June 2, in Istanbul, Ukrainian and Russian delegations agreed on new prisoner exchanges, focusing on priority categories. In particular, this includes the exchange of all severely wounded and seriously ill individuals, as well as young soldiers aged 18 to 25. The parties also agreed on the return of 6,000 bodies of fallen soldiers.
On June 7, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky stated that the Ukrainian side “unexpectedly postponed both the reception of bodies and the exchange of prisoners of war indefinitely.” In response, the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters emphasized that the date for the repatriation of bodies had not been agreed upon and accused the Russian side of manipulation, calling for “an end to the dirty games.”