Photo: t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official
The Coordination Headquarters released the first footage of Ukrainians freed from Russian captivity.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that on Thursday, February 5, 150 Ukrainian defenders and seven civilians were returned home from Russian captivity. Those freed include service members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service, and the National Guard — soldiers, officers, and sergeants among them.
According to official information, 139 of those released had been held in Russian captivity since 2022. The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War noted that more than half of the freed Ukrainian soldiers were captured during the defense of Mariupol. Ukraine also secured the release of a National Guard serviceman captured by Russian forces during the seizure of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
In addition, Ukraine managed to bring back civilians who had been illegally convicted by Russian courts. The youngest released serviceman is 23 years old; he was captured at the age of 19 during the defense of Mariupol and was unlawfully sentenced by a Russian court to life imprisonment. The oldest freed defender is 63.
“Today’s exchange took place after a long pause, and it is very important that it was finally carried out,” Zelenskyy said. He added that efforts to secure the release of Ukrainians from Russian captivity are ongoing.
