Back from Captivity: Kyiv and Moscow Swap Sick and Injured Soldiers
Moscow and Kiev carry out a prisoner swap
Get ready for a homecoming! It's the fifth round of prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia, with the focus this time on soldiers who have been severely injured or fallen ill. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the good news on various social media platforms.
This exchange includes members from the army, national guard, and border troops, as reported by Ukraine's Office for the Affairs of Prisoner of War. These individuals have been missing for more than three years, according to the details available.
Russia's Defense Ministry has also confirmed the exchange, posting images of joyful soldiers waving Russian flags. Surprisingly, both sides have chosen to keep the number of soldiers returning in this round under wraps.
Back in early June, Kyiv and Moscow agreed to a multi-stage exchange of soldiers under 25 and those who are severely injured or ill during peace talks in Turkey. Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that approximately 900 prisoners have been exchanged so far.
- Injured Warriors
- Updates on the Conflict
- Ukraine
- Russia
- Returning Heroes
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Did you know?- The returning Ukrainian soldiers were primarily those captured during the early stages of the 2022 invasion, battling various medical issues such as dystrophy, ulcers, vision problems, musculoskeletal disorders, and cardiovascular diseases.- A significant number of the freed soldiers had played a crucial role in the defense of Mariupol during its 2022 siege, while others hailed from various regions including Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kyiv oblasts. All were privates or non-commissioned officers.- The Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of POWs emphasized the importance of focusing on prisoners with immediate and ongoing medical care, psychological rehabilitation, and financial compensation due to their captivity.- President Volodymyr Zelensky continued to push for the return of every captive soldier and expressed appreciation for those facilitating the prisoner exchanges.- Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed the exchange by sharing videos and photos of their liberated soldiers, who were seen cheering and waving Russian flags.- This fifth exchange adheres to an agreed-upon series of exchanges, aiming to return over 1,000 prisoners of war from each side, prioritizing the most vulnerable groups such as those under 25 years old and severely injured or ill soldiers.
In essence, while the exact number of soldiers exchanged in this fifth round remains undisclosed, it concentrates on bringing home severely wounded and ill POWs, who urgently require medical attention. The exchange process is ongoing, with both countries continuing the humanitarian exchanges under the Istanbul agreement terms.
- Following the fifth prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia, the focus is on soldiers who have been injured or fallen ill in the conflict, with updates expected from both Kyiv and Moscow.
- Amidst ongoing political tensions and war-and-conflicts, community and employment policies of both Ukraine and Russia may need to address the reintegration needs of returning heroes from this exchange.
