Dec. 31, 2024, 11:49 a.m.
(Photo: Office of the President)
Seven soldiers from Kherson region have returned from Russian captivity.
This was announced by the head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration Oleksandr Prokudin.
In total, 189 Ukrainians returned home during the exchange on December 30. This time 173 privates and sergeants and 14 officers were released. These are soldiers - defenders of Azovstal and Mariupol, Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Zmiyne Island, from different frontline areas. Among them are soldiers, sergeants and officers. These are National Guard members, including Azov, border guards, anti-terrorism fighters, soldiers of the Navy and Armed Forces. And also two civilians who were captured in Mariupol.
Earlier, Ukraine returned 95 soldiers from Russian captivity. 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 sentences, and 20 to life imprisonment for defending their own land from the aggressor. Among the released prisoners was journalist, human rights activist, co-founder of Hromadske Radio and the Zmina Human Rights Center Maksym Butkevych. Also among those who returned are 42 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. Earlier, 103 soldiers who had been captured by the occupiers returned home. Then 103 soldiers were exchanged - 82 privates and sergeants. 21 officers.
In September, 49 heroes returned home. Among them are 23 women who were illegally detained by Russia. This is the largest number of women exchanged in recent times. In August, 22 prisoners of war were returned to Ukraine. In July, 45 of our prisoners were returned to Ukraine. Among them are soldiers of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service and two civilians. In June, 95 of our people were returned to Ukraine. The list includes soldiers of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and border guards.
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