Ukraine returned 71 soldiers and four civilians from Russian captivity.

The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War stated this.

For the first time since February, Ukraine and Russia have exchanged POWs. Ukraine managed to return 75 defenders and civilians from Russian captivity.

Among the rescued defenders are 70 men and 5 women, 6 officers and 65 privates and sergeants. At least a third of the rescued soldiers have been injured, seriously ill or disabled.

Among the rescued servicemen are:

• 37 soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
• 21 soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine;
• 7 soldiers of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine;
• 6 soldiers of the Territorial Defense Forces;
• 4 civilian Ukrainian women.

Among those released are 19 people who defended Zmiinyi Island, 10 defenders of Mariupol and 14 soldiers who guarded the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

The Coordination Headquarters reported that today’s exchange was the 52nd since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion. Since then, 3210 Ukrainian defenders have been released from captivity.

It is noted that today’s exchange was made possible, in particular, thanks to the active participation of the United Arab Emirates.

The Russian Ministry of Defense also reported that as a result of the exchange, they had managed to return 75 Russians to their homeland. They were delivered by military transport aircraft to Moscow.

The previous exchange of prisoners took place four months ago, on February 8, 2024. Back then, Ukraine returned 100 servicemen from Russian captivity.