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A brand new prisoner of struggle (POW) change with Russia has taken place, bringing house one other group of Ukrainian defenders held in Russian captivity, many since 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on July 4.
"Our individuals are house. Most of them had been in Russian captivity since 2022," Zelensky mentioned in a press release.
In keeping with Ukraine's Land Forces, the group contains prisoners categorized as "wounded and significantly sick," these "below the age of 25," and civilians.
The Coordination Headquarters for Prisoners of Battle confirmed that this newest change was carried out below President Zelensky's directive, and included defenders of Mariupol held since 2022, in addition to civilians who had been illegally sentenced or disadvantaged of liberty.
"In the present day, our defenders are returning, those that fought for Ukraine in varied areas: Donetsk, Mariupol, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson. These are troopers of the Armed Forces, the Nationwide Guard, the State Border Guard Service, the State Particular Transport Service, and in addition civilians," Zelesnky mentioned.
"Ukraine's purpose is to free all our folks from Russian captivity."
The change follows 5 swaps that occurred in June below the Istanbul deal reached between Ukraine and Russia on June 2. The settlement offered for the common launch of severely sick and wounded POWs from either side, in addition to the repatriation of the our bodies of fallen troopers.
Earlier swaps have introduced house service members from the Armed Forces, Nationwide Guard, and State Border Guard Service, lots of whom had been captured in 2022 through the Russian invasion.
"Exchanges should proceed, and I thank everybody who makes this attainable," Zelensky mentioned. "Ukraine's purpose is to free all our folks from Russian captivity. I thank everybody who helps make that occur."
Russia's Protection Ministry confirmed the change on July 4, with out disclosing the variety of troopers returned.
Earlier exchanges have targeted on people with severe medical wants ensuing from accidents and harsh situations in captivity. Some beforehand launched prisoners had defended Mariupol through the 2022 siege, whereas others fought in areas together with Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Kyiv oblasts.
The Istanbul settlement adopted months of stalled negotiations and was hailed as a humanitarian breakthrough regardless of the dearth of broader political progress.
As a part of the deal, Moscow pledged to return the stays of as much as 6,000 Ukrainian service members and civilians. Ukrainian authorities say Russia has already transferred over 6,000 our bodies in latest weeks.
Ukraine continues to advocate for a full-scale "all-for-all" change, a proposal that Russia has to this point rejected. Nonetheless, either side have carried out smaller, phased swaps, typically a number of in a single week.
The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko