49 Ukrainian prisoners of war released from Russian captivity: Zelensky

Kyiv, Sep 14 (IANS) Ukraine brought back 49 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. 

These include personnel of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, the National Police, and border guards, The Kyiv Independent reported.

A total of 23 women were brought back, including civilians detained and illegally imprisoned by Russia before the full-scale invasion, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported on Friday.

Leniye Umerova, a Crimean Tatar, is among the released. She was detained by Russia at the Georgian-Russian border in 2022 when she travelled to occupied Crimea to look after her cancer-stricken father.

Military medic and Hero of Ukraine Viktor Ivchuk was also among those released. Ivchuk, a colonel of the Armed Forces and head of a military hospital in Mariupol, had been held captive by Russia since April 2022, The Kyiv Independent reported.

"We have to bring home all of our soldiers and civilians," Zelensky said.

The released captives include 15 soldiers of the Azov Brigade who defended the city of Mariupol in 2022.

"The Azov (soldiers) were included in the exchange for the first time in a long time. This group consists mainly of women," said the sub-division of Azov responsible for captured, killed and injured soldiers.

The Ukrainian President expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the team responsible for securing the release of prisoners and hostages from Russian captivity and emphasised on bringing home every remaining Ukrainian still held captive by Russia. 

"I want to thank our entire team that works to secure the release of prisoners and hostages from Russian captivity. I especially want to acknowledge each of our Ukrainian units that contribute to replenishing the exchange fund for our country. All our warriors who capture Russian occupiers, and all our services that neutralise Russian saboteurs and collaborators, bring closer the liberation of our people. We must bring home every single one of our people, both military and civilian," Zelensky said. 

Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry of Ukraine also informed about the release of 49 Ukrainians from Russian captivity. 

Sharing a post on X, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry said, "At home. Today, 49 of our people returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity. Soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, National Guard, State Border Guard Service, National Police and civilians are finally back home. Glory to Ukraine!"

Thirteen sailors, eight soldiers of the Armed Forces, two police officers, and four border guards were also freed from Russian captivity, according to the headquarters.

This is the 56th prisoner exchange since the outbreak of the full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine. A total of 3,569 Ukrainians have been brought back from Russian captivity, Ukraine's Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said.

Kyiv aims to conduct an all-for-all prisoner exchange, which was one of the issues at Ukraine's peace summit in Switzerland in mid-June.

--IANS

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