Six residents of South Oral, previously held captive in Ukraine, have safely returned home.

Rewritten Article:

Over six soldiers hailing from the Chelyabinsk region recently made their way back home following a prisoner exchange with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as per a report by a correspondent for RIA "Novy Day."

Taking place on May 6, this exchange marked a significant development in ongoing tensions between the two nations. Remarkably, among the 205 servicemen returned, six were residents of the Argaishsky, Varneksky, Yekulsky, Sosnovsky districts, and Chelyabinsk itself. They had been held captive since 2024 and early 2025. While their families had reached out for assistance in locating them, many were young men - aged around 23 to 25 - serving on contract. One of the soldiers had been captured on May 9, 2024, meaning he'd spend the 80th anniversary of Victory Day on Russian soil, as human rights commissioner for the Chelyabinsk region, Yulia Sudarenko, announced on her social media page.

This swap occurred on a "205 for 205" basis, with the Russian servicemen currently stationed in Belarus and poised for return to Russia shortly.

As for the specific context of this exchange involving Chelyabinsk-region soldiers, while detailed information remains scarce, it's worth noting that recent prisoner swaps have been a recurring phase in the ongoing conflict. On May 6, 2025, Russia and Ukraine engaged in a mutual exchange of 205 prisoners of war each, mediated by the UAE. Captured Ukrainian pilot Roman Vasyliuk was released in an earlier swap, as recorded in aircraft loss records.

These swaps serve as valuable sources of morale for both nations, with Ukraine focusing on pilot rescues like Vasyliuk and Russia positioning them as "humanitarian gestures." Diplomatic mediation by third-party entities like the UAE plays a crucial role in facilitating such swaps, while Western allies impose sanctions until Russia withdraws from the region.

Here in the Chelyabinsk region, while details about a prisoner exchange specific to these soldiers may be scarce, the area remains significant due to its status as a key military equipment producer. The Chelyabinsk region has likely contributed soldiers to the frontlines, though the absence of region-specific data in swaps suggests exchanges prioritize total numbers over specific geographic origins. For more granular details, localized Russian media or Ukrainian military reports might prove insightful.

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The soldiers from the Yekulsky district in the Chelyabinsk region were among 205 servicemen recently returned following a prisoner exchange with Ukraine.
After being held captive since 2024 and early 2025, six soldiers from the Chelyabinsk region have returned home, having spent their time in war-and-conflicts-related captivity.
The Chelyabinsk region, known for its military equipment production and potential contribution of soldiers to frontlines, recently saw six of its residents returned in a prisoner exchange with Ukraine that occurred on May 6, 2025.
In the general news landscape, the Chelyabinsk region will likely continue to be a point of focus due to ongoing war-and-conflicts involving both Russia and Ukraine, and any future swaps or developments in the region can be followed by subscribing to RIA "Novy Day."

Six residents of South Oral, previously held captive in Ukraine, have safely returned home.