95 Ukrainian soldiers freed from Russian captivity in latest exchange
5:12 PM EDT, July 17, 2024
– They kicked me in the ribs, I can't breathe. Now they're taking me to the hospital for tests, – says a Ukrainian soldier who returned from Russian captivity. "Ninety-five more defenders have been freed," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote earlier. Recordings of the first moments of young Ukrainians returning to their homeland have emerged online.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Wednesday that 95 prisoners of war have returned to the country from Russian captivity. "No matter how difficult it is, we are searching for everyone who might be in captivity. We must bring everyone back," Zelensky stated.
"We are still bringing our people home. Another 95 defenders have been freed from Russian captivity. They are soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, National Guard, and border guards," he wrote on Telegram.
First phone call home
– I have stomach problems; they kicked me in the ribs, and I can't breathe. Now they're taking me to the hospital for tests. But I don't know where I'm going, – said the Ukrainian soldier, talking on the phone with his family just after returning to the country.
He said he was near the city of Sumy but didn't know where he would go next.
– I'll get a phone call later, and I'll be able to call you again. We'll stay in touch, – he reassured his family.
It was the first time he could hear his loved ones in a long while. The recordings of the soldiers' return to Ukrainian territory were published on X by Anton Herashchenko, former advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
Ukrainian prisoners already in the country
"Among the freed are 49 soldiers of the Armed Forces, 21 National Guard soldiers, 10 sailors, seven from the Territorial Defense Forces, five border guards, two State Special Transport Service officers, and one defender from a voluntary territorial community unit. All the freed this time are men: 88 privates, sergeants, and seven officers," reported the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War on Telegram.
Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that 95 Ukrainian prisoners were exchanged for the same number of Russian prisoners.
It was the 54th exchange of prisoners since the start of the full-scale invasion. In total, Ukraine has recovered 3,405 people from captivity.
