Ukraine returns 25 from Russian captivity in special exchange – photos

On January 15, Ukraine carried out a prisoner exchange with Russia, returning 25 Ukrainians while an equal number of occupiers were sent back to Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced.

The president noted that the released individuals include both civilians and military personnel. Among them are defenders of Mariupol and Azovstal, as well as individuals from Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts. "Many of them have severe injuries and illnesses, and each will receive all the necessary medical care," Zelenskyy wrote.

The United Arab Emirates played a role in facilitating the exchange, the president added.

According to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Ukraine managed to secure a special exchange format for severely ill and injured captives.

"Returning home to receive appropriate treatment and rehabilitation are representatives of the National Guard, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (including the Territorial Defense), the Navy, and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. Additionally, we managed to bring back wounded Ukrainian servicemen from the Kursk region," the statement read.

The youngest of those released is 24 years old, while the oldest is 60.

The injuries sustained by the captives include vision loss, amputations, severe gunshot wounds, and complications from mine-blast trauma. Recorded illnesses include tuberculosis, cancer, and gangrene.

The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, reported that one of the returned individuals is a civilian who was captured by the occupiers in the Kyiv Oblast and unlawfully detained.

"Moving forward, the priority is to provide the returned individuals with a full range of medical care, including surgeries and rehabilitation," he stated.