President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced the beginning of a new prisoner exchange with Russia in the “all-for-all” format, which will take place in several stages over the coming days. The first to be returned are the wounded and seriously wounded, as well as young soldiers under 25 years old.
“Our people are home. Ukrainians are returning home from Russian captivity. Today, the exchange began and will continue in several stages over the coming days. Among those we are returning now are the wounded and seriously wounded, as well as those under 25 years old,” Zelensky said on his Telegram channel.
The head of state emphasized that negotiations are ongoing almost daily and that the process is quite complicated due to many sensitive details. He expressed hope that the humanitarian agreements reached during the meeting in Istanbul will be fully implemented.
“We must bring home everyone who is held captive,” the President stressed.
The Ministry of Defense noted that for security reasons, the final numbers of those released will be announced only after the exchange process is complete.
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, reported that the majority of servicemen released on June 9 had been in captivity since 2022. These are mostly young Ukrainians under 25 years old, predominantly born in 2000.
Traditionally, staff from the Office of the Ombudsman are present at the exchange sites to monitor compliance with human rights according to the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War. They communicate with the returned prisoners, inform them about their rights, and help them contact their relatives.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported that all those released are representatives of the rank-and-file and non-commissioned officers, including servicemen from the Navy, Ground Forces, Territorial Defense Forces, Air Force, Air Assault Forces, State Border Guard Service, National Guard, and the State Special Transport Service. Among those freed are defenders of Mariupol who spent more than three years in captivity.
This is only the first part of a large-scale exchange that will continue within the framework of the agreements reached, the Coordination Headquarters noted.
Work is also ongoing to repatriate the bodies of Ukrainian servicemen who died defending their homeland.
Returned defenders will be provided with everything necessary. Their documents will be restored, they will receive due financial support for the entire time they were in captivity, as well as a one-time assistance payment. They will also undergo a course of medical rehabilitation, the Coordination Headquarters assured.
