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Ukraine Returns Young and Wounded Soldiers From Russian Captivity in New POW Swap
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Ukraine has brought home another group of defenders from Russian captivity as part of the ongoing large-scale prisoner exchange, held in accordance with the Istanbul agreements.
This was reported by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War on June 26.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, acting on the instruction of the President of Ukraine, facilitated the return of young defenders under the age of 25, along with wounded soldiers and those suffering from serious health conditions.
Among those released are servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including personnel from the Navy, Ground Forces, Air Assault Forces, and Territorial Defense Forces. Fighters from the National Guard and the State Border Guard Service have also returned to Ukrainian soil.
Most of the defenders freed in this exchange had spent more than three years in captivity. Many of them were captured during the defense of Mariupol in 2022.
A key feature of this stage of the exchange is the return of young Ukrainian soldiers. The youngest released defender is 24 years old and was taken prisoner during the siege of Mariupol at just 21. The oldest among those brought home today is 62.
The exchange also included National Guard troops who were captured while guarding the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Several officers were among those freed.
Overall, the released defenders had been involved in operations across several key directions — including Donetsk, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Kherson, Kyiv, and Sumy regions.
All returned servicemen will receive comprehensive medical check-ups, physical and psychological rehabilitation, and state-guaranteed payments for the entire duration of their captivity.
Earlier, it was reported that Russia is expected to intensify its disinformation efforts around prisoner exchanges by spreading fake lists of alleged Ukrainian casualties.
