Dec. 31, 2022, 5:52 p.m.
(Photo: Andriy Yermak)
On December 31, it became known that Ukraine managed to bring home 140 prisoners. This was announced by the Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak.
In the statement, he noted that 82 of them are soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 15 from the territorial defense, 22 from the National Guard of Ukraine, 11 from the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and 10 from the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. 132 men and 8 women, 22 officers and 118 sergeants and privates.
Among them are the wounded, as well as the defenders of Mariupol, Zmiinyi Island, volunteers of the TRO from Slavutych, fathers and sons who were held captive together, as well as ours from the Bakhmut direction," writes Andriy Yermak.
It is known that the exchange of prisoners was carried out jointly by the Office of the President, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine and the Ministry of Reintegration. In his post, Andriy Yermak thanked the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
On November 26, Ukraine returned 12 compatriots from the occupiers' captivity, including the defenders of Zmiine from Odesa region.
On November 7, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, speaking to the relatives of the soldiers still in captivity, said that 30 Zmiine defenders had returned home by then.
On December 7, it became known that a 60-for-60 exchange had taken place. Among the returned prisoners were 16 marines from Mykolaiv who defended Mariupol, and some of them were from Azovstal.
Ігор Льов