Ukraine has brought home another 185 of its citizens — including soldiers of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service, as well as 20 civilians. Most of them had been held captive since 2022. Now — they are home. This was reported on his Telegram channel by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The youngest released defender is 26 years old, while the oldest is 59. Some of the prisoners were released as part of the Istanbul agreements with Russia, while others were freed in the latest exchange. This marks the 69th exchange between Ukraine and Russia.
During today’s prisoner exchange, 88 servicemen of the Ukrainian Navy returned to Ukraine. In addition, 58 personnel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs returned to Ukraine: 34 National Guard members, 22 border guards, one former serviceman, and one State Emergency Service employee.
“The story of the rescuer is particularly striking. He was literally abducted by Russia during the capture of Melitopol,” said Minister Ihor Klymenko. “He worked as the head of a fire and rescue unit. He was not a soldier. He had never held a weapon. But that did not stop the occupiers. Now he is home and will soon see his loved ones.”
Among those released are 183 servicemen: privates, sergeants, and two officers. They defended Ukraine in some of the most intense combat zones — Mariupol, at ‘Azovstal,’ near the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, as well as in the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Kyiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv directions.
Two of the returned defenders will celebrate their birthdays tomorrow, October 3.
Twenty civilians also returned to Ukraine. They were illegally detained in the first months of the full-scale invasion. Many were taken straight from their homes. All of them will receive the necessary medical, psychological, and social support.
The list of those released also includes 19 people from the Zaporizhzhia region — 17 defenders and two civilians. Also, three defenders from the Vinnytsia region and Volyn region.
“Among the Ukrainian soldiers released from captivity today is also our fellow from the Rivne region. He is a 41-year-old sailor from the Rivne district,” wrote the head of the Rivne Regional Military Administration.
Also, two servicemen from the Ternopil region have returned home. “We have good news! Today, as part of the exchange, two servicemen from Ternopil region were released from captivity. I sincerely thank the President of Ukraine and his team. May every family be reunited with their loved ones!” wrote the head of the Ternopil Regional Military Administration.
The Head of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Military Administration, Serhiy Tyurin, wrote: “Among those released are two from the Khmelnytskyi region: one from the Khmelnytskyi district and one from the Shepetivka district.”
“Thank you to everyone for their defense and heroism. We are grateful to all who helped bring Ukrainian defenders home. We are doing everything to return all our people from Russian captivity. We remember each and every one,” said Ukraine’s Minister of Defense, Denys Shmyhal.
This is another step in the large-scale work that continues every day. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, more than 7,000 Ukrainians have already been brought home.
