Oct. 19, 2024, 2:47 p.m.
(Photo: 36th Marine Brigade)
Ukraine has returned 95 defenders from Russian captivity, including 28 marines from the Mykolaiv brigade.
This was reported by the press service of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Bilinsky.
Among them are 21 marines from the 36th separate marine brigade, 3 marines from the 1st separate marine battalion and 4 from the 501st separate marine battalion. The battalions are part of the 36th Separate Mechanized Brigade.
"The guys are currently undergoing treatment and rehabilitation. We sincerely thank everyone who made efforts to bring our brothers back from Russian captivity! We rejoice together with the families and friends of our soldiers. We remember everyone. We will return everyone. We will take revenge," the brigade said in a statement.
Theprisoner exchange took place on the night of October 19. This is the 58th exchange of prisoners since the beginning of the invasion. The peculiarity of this exchange is that many Ukrainians are returning home who received so-called "sentences" from the aggressor country's judicial system and were "convicted": 28 to long terms, and 20 to life imprisonment for defending their own land from the aggressor.
Among those released from captivity today are National Guardsmen, Armed Forces soldiers, border guards and representatives of other units of the Security and Defense Forces.
A total of 69 soldiers and sergeants and 26 officers. According to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko, 42 of those who returned are employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, including seven officers. 38 are members of the National Guard of Ukraine. Two more are police officers and two border guards.
Also among the released prisoners is journalist, human rights activist, co-founder of Hromadske Radio and the Zmina Human Rights Center Maksym Butkevych. He said that the news of the exchange was unexpected - he learned about it by accident on the way.
Earlier, on September 14, a large exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine also took place, and 103 soldiers who had been captured by the occupiers returned home. Then 103 soldiers were exchanged - 82 privates and sergeants. 21 officers.
On September 13, 49 heroes finally returned home. Among them are 23 women who were illegally detained by Russia. This is the largest number of women exchanged in recent times.
Ірина Глухова