Ukraine brings back over 100 more soldiers from Russian captivity – photos, videos

Ukraine brought back 103 soldiers from Russian captivity on 14 September. 

Source: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Telegram; Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War

Details: The president said that the group includes 82 privates and sergeants, as well as 21 officers.

Quote: "These are the defenders of Kyiv, Donetsk, Mariupol, and Azovstal [steel plant in Mariupol – ed.], as well as those from Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv oblasts. Soldiers from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, border guards and police. I thank our team handling prisoner exchanges for bringing such good news to Ukraine."

Details: The exchange was mediated by the UAE, with both Moscow and Kyiv exchanging 103 soldiers each. Ukraine handed over Russian soldiers who had been captured in Kursk Oblast.

The exact location of the exchange remains undisclosed, but the exchanged Russian soldiers are currently in Belarus.

The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War clarifies that this time, 38 National Guardsmen were freed. The exchange included 28 Ukrainian servicemen: two from the Kraken special unit, two from the International Legion, three from the Special Operations Forces and one from the Territorial Defence Forces.

Eight border guards, four police officers, 21 naval personnel, three representatives of the State Special Transport Service, and one from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine are heading home.

All those released this time are men: 82 privates and sergeants, and 21 are officers.

The freed servicemen had participated in defending the city of Mariupol from the Russians, including 69 people from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Kharkiv, and Kyiv oblasts (including 31 defenders of Azovstal). There are also two Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant guards among them.

Quote: "Most of them have sustained severe injuries or health issues and require urgent medical care. Ukraine has worked for a long time to organise the exchange of these citizens. 

Ukraine expresses its gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for their assistance in arranging this exchange."

Background: On 13 September, Ukraine brought back 49 more military and civilians from Russian captivity, including 23 women for the first time in a long time.

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