Фото: t.me/Koord_shtab
The 72nd prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine took place ahead of Easter. According to the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, 175 Ukrainian servicemen and seven civilians were released from Russian captivity.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported the return of 175 of its servicemen, in exchange for whom 175 Ukrainian prisoners of war were handed over.
A distinctive feature of this exchange is that almost all of those released — both military personnel and civilians — had been held captive since 2022. Among them were 25 officers whom the Russian side had previously categorically refused to exchange. More than half of the released defenders had been captured during the defense of Mariupol. Several National Guard servicemen captured during the occupation of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant in the first days of the full-scale invasion are also returning home.
Those released include representatives of the Navy, Ground Forces, Air Force, National Guard and State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. The youngest person released is 22 years old, while the oldest is 63. The seven civilians returning home had also been captured in 2022.
The exchange took place with the assistance of the United States and the United Arab Emirates. All those released will undergo medical examinations, treatment and rehabilitation, the Ukrainian headquarters said.