Ukraine Recovers First Group of Seriously Wounded in Major POW Swap
As part of the agreements reached in Istanbul on June 10, Ukraine returned a group of Ukrainian soldiers who had been seriously wounded and had serious health problems from Russian captivity.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the Office of the Ombudsman, and the Ukrainian Minister of Defense on social media
"We are continuing the return of our people, as agreed in Istanbul. Today is the first stage of the return of our seriously wounded and injured soldiers from Russian captivity. All of them need immediate medical attention. This is an important humanitarian act...
The exchanges must continue. We are doing everything we can to find and return every single person who is in captivity. I am grateful to everyone who is helping,” Zelenskyy wrote.
The Coordination Headquarters specifies that among the defenders freed on June 10 are defenders of Mariupol who spent more than three years in captivity. In addition to soldiers and sergeants, officers were also freed.
All those released have serious injuries and illnesses: amputated limbs, vision problems, abscesses, infections, trauma, shrapnel wounds, and chronic diseases. Some of those released have been diagnosed with hepatitis and tuberculosis.
They will be taken to medical centers for all necessary examinations and further treatment and medical rehabilitation. All those released will be provided with the necessary assistance, their documents will be restored, and they will be paid the appropriate monetary compensation for their time in captivity.
“The large-scale prisoner exchange continues. For security reasons, the exact number of released persons will be announced after the exchange process is completed,” the Coordination Headquarters clarified.
The 66th prisoner exchange began on June 9. The first group of released servicemen under the age of 25 returned to Ukraine from Russia.
As The Gaze reported earlier, Ukraine has begun a new staged prisoner exchange with Russia, with the first group of Ukrainian prisoners of war under the age of 25 safely returned home.