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Ukraine has arranged the biggest prisoner swap since the beginning of the full-fledged war

Author
Maxim Krasikov

On January 3, Ukraine had 230 people return from Russian captivity. The prisoner exchange was mediated by the United Arab Emirates.

The news was posted by the Suspilne national broadcaster.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that among the freed people were soldiers, sergeants, and officers who served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, the Navy, and the Border Guard.

Quote"Some of the defenders fought in Mariupol and at the Azovstal steel plant," the president said.

The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported that the number of people exchanged in this prisoner swap was the biggest since the full-scale Russian invasion.

The 230 Ukrainians released from Russian captivity include:

  • the AFU personnel — 130 (including 14 from the Territorial Defense and 14 from the Navy);
  • the National Guard personnel — 55;
  • the State Border Guard Service personnel — 38;
  • the National Police personnel — 1.

Ukraine also returned six civilians who were unlawfully imprisoned by Russia.

Among the freed Ukrainians, 182 had been officially recognized as prisoners of war, with their status confirmed through the International Committee of the Red Cross, while 48 had been registered as missing in action.

The freed Ukrainians were mostly men (225), while five were women. Among the military service members, 213 were enlisted personnel and 11 were officers.

The Coordination Headquarters also expressed its gratitude to the United Arab Emirates "for active participation in the implementation of this exchange."

The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, emphasized that 2024 marked the start of the 49th exchange of prisoners of war.

Quote"And now, 2,828 defenders are home!" the ombudsman wrote.

According to the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, 4,337 Ukrainians are currently held prisoners by Russia, including 3,574 military personnel and 763 civilians.

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territorial defense