On August 24, Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war with Russia with the assistance of the United Arab Emirates.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that 115 Ukrainian soldiers had returned home.

The exchange included soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Navy, and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

The President thanked all the units that replenish the Ukrainian exchange fund.

“This brings the liberation of our military and civilians from Russian captivity closer. I am grateful to our team and partners, to the UAE, for our people coming home,” the President emphasized.

The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War noted that all 115 POWs had been conscripts.

“All of those rescued during the 55th prisoner exchange are conscripts, including those who were captured by the enemy during the heroic defense of their homeland in the first months of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022,” the statement reads.

Among others, nine illegally convicted defenders were released. Navy sailors and three border guards were released, as well as 82 Mariupol defenders (fifty of them defended the Azovstal plant).

All those rescued this time were soldiers, sergeants and sailors.

Also returning home are six soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine guarding the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and soldiers who defended Kyiv, Donetsk, Kherson and Luhansk regions.

The Ukrainian soldiers who were liberated from enemy captivity today also took part in heavy battles for Gostomel and the reserve command post of the General Staff in the Kyiv region, and in the Kherson region for the Chongar checkpoint on the administrative border with the temporarily occupied Crimea.

Many of the liberated Ukrainian servicemen have health problems as a result of their injuries and Russia’s failure to comply with international humanitarian law in captivity. All of them will undergo a medical examination, receive necessary treatment, psychological assistance, reintegrate into society and receive their due payments.