Ukrainian sailors released from Houthis captivity, operation lasted over a year

Three Ukrainian sailors have been successfully evacuated after being held captive by Yemeni Houthis, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the agencies that conducted the operation.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered the evacuation, with assistance from Oman.

The sailors were crew members of the cargo ship Galaxy Leader and were captured by Houthis in the Red Sea on November 19, 2023.

"The released Ukrainian sailors are now on their way to meet with their families. The guys will undergo rehabilitation," the statement said.

The complex operation took over a year, involving intricate unofficial negotiations with the Houthis and other parties involved in the situation surrounding the detained cargo ship.

Military intelligence established the first direct contact with the Ukrainian captives on April 3, 2024, assuring them that Ukraine was doing everything possible for their rescue. The sailors were finally freed on January 22, 2025.

In November 2024, reports indicated that Russia had recruited hundreds of Yemeni Houthis to fight against Ukraine.

On January 22, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order designating the Houthis as a terrorist organization.