A new stage of prisoner exchange has taken place in Ukraine in accordance with the Istanbul agreements.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Ukrainian defenders have returned home, including servicemen under the age of 25, as well as defenders who were injured or have health issues. Among those released are both soldiers and officers. They represent various units: the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service. Some of them had been in captivity since 2022.
Details of the Exchange: Age of Defenders and Geography of Defense
According to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the youngest of the returned soldiers is 24 years old. He was captured during the defense of Mariupol in April 2022. The oldest defender is 62 years old. Among the released are military personnel who participated in the defense of various fronts — Donetsk, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Kherson, Kyiv, and Sumy.
Also among those released are National Guardsmen who guarded the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. All of them have returned home after a long period in Russian captivity.
Medical Assistance and Rehabilitation for the Released
After their return, the released military personnel will undergo a comprehensive medical examination and receive necessary assistance for physical and psychological rehabilitation. In addition, they will be provided with all due payments for the time spent in captivity.
“We continue the exchanges, another stage. Today, soldiers of the Armed Forces, National Guard, and State Border Guard Service are returning,” said President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on his Telegram page. “Most of them have been in captivity since 2022. We are doing everything to find each person, to verify information regarding each name. We must bring all of our people home. Thank you to everyone who helps us in this.”
“The released defenders will undergo necessary medical examinations, receive assistance for physical and psychological rehabilitation, as well as all due payments for the entire time spent in captivity,” the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War stated.