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Ukraine Secures Return of Severely Wounded Soldiers in Third Prisoner Exchange With Russia
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Ukraine has conducted the third round of prisoner exchange with Russia, securing the return of a group of severely wounded and seriously ill Ukrainian servicemen.
The announcment was made by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Telegram on June 12.
The number of defenders released has not been disclosed. However, among them are personnel from the Armed Forces of Ukraine — including the Air Assault Forces, Navy, Air Force, Territorial Defense Forces, and State Special Transport Service — as well as servicemen from the State Border Guard Service and the National Guard.
“All of them require medical treatment and will receive the necessary care. We continue working to bring everyone home from Russian captivity. Thank you to everyone who helps make these exchanges possible. So that each and every one may return home — to Ukraine,” Zelenskyy stated.
Some of the freed soldiers are defenders of Mariupol who had spent more than three years in Russian captivity. All those released are male soldiers of enlisted and non-commissioned ranks.
According to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, several of the returned defenders had previously been listed as missing in action.
The servicemen had fought on multiple fronts, including Donetsk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk.
Earlier, Ukraine and Russia had carried out another prisoner exchange as part of an agreement reached during the second round of negotiations in Istanbul. A group of Ukrainian service members—many of them seriously wounded or gravely ill—have been brought home.
On May 22, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated holding a high-level meeting to prepare for the exchange of 1,000 Ukrainian prisoners of war currently held by Russia. He called the agreement to release POWs the only tangible result from Ukraine-Russia meeting in Türkiye.
