Calay News
The Ukrainian government reported on Thursday that a total of 100 Ukrainian soldiers and one civilian have been released and returned to Ukraine as part of a prisoner exchange with Russia. The head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, announced in a Telegram post that 94 of the released soldiers are defenders of Mariupol and that 63 of them fought at the Azovstal steel plant.
In addition, Yermak also noted that many of those released were wounded and in need of medical care. The released civilian was identified as Ivan Samoidiuk, the first deputy mayor of Enerhodar, who had been in captivity for 333 days. The Kyiv Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War also noted that all those released were privates and sergeants and that 46 of them belonged to the Ukrainian Navy, 29 to the State Border Guard Service, 12 to the National Guard, 8 to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and 5 to the Territorial Defense.
For its part, Russia also announced on Thursday that 101 servicemen who had been captured and were in Ukrainian custody had been released. According to a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry, the released servicemen will be transferred to Moscow for treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions of the Russian Defense Ministry. In addition, the statement also indicated that the released servicemen were in danger of death while in captivity and that all of them will receive the necessary medical and psychological assistance.
