Ukraine returns 205 defenders from captivity

Today, Ukraine managed to return 205 soldiers from Russian captivity.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi reported that the released soldiers included young boys and adult men from almost all types and branches of the military.

Diplomats from the United Arab Emirates helped negotiate the exchange.

“The defenders of Mariupol and the defenders of the entire front line. They were scattered in many Russian regions, imprisoned in the prison system with the sole purpose of mockery and destruction of humanity,” Zelenskyi reported.

This time, the released prisoners include representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including the Navy, Air Force, Air Assault Forces, Territorial Defense Forces, as well as the National Guard of Ukraine and the State Border Guard Service.

Three Ukrainian officers and 202 soldiers and sergeants are returning home.

The liberated defenders defended Ukraine in the Donetsk and Luhansk sectors, in Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kherson, Sumy and Kyiv regions, as well as in the garrison of Mariupol.

This is the fifth exchange in 2025 and the 64th since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. During the fourth exchange, 277 defenders were returned.

In total, the Coordination Staff has released 4757 Ukrainian citizens as part of the negotiation process and exchanges that have been ongoing since March 2022.

All those released will be provided with medical care, necessary items, clothing and hygiene products for the time being.

“They will also be paid a salary for the time spent in captivity and a one-time financial assistance. The liberated defenders will be able to undergo rehabilitation and reintegration after prolonged isolation in Russian captivity,“ the Coordination Staff stated.

The Russian side also returned 205 prisoners of war who are now in the territory of the Republic of Belarus and will be sent to Russia.