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Reçu aujourd’hui — 24 août 2025
  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • Independence Day swap returns Ukrainian defenders from thousands who are still captive in Russia
    Key takeaways:  Ukraine conducted another combined prisoner exchange, returning both military personnel and civilians, including two journalists and the former mayor of Kherson. Among those released are representatives from almost all defense forces, primarily enlisted and non-commissioned ranks, many of whom spent over three years in captivity. Ukrainian soldiers had defended key areas: Mariupol, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Sumy, and the Chernobyl nuclear
     
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✇Euromaidan Press

Independence Day swap returns Ukrainian defenders from thousands who are still captive in Russia

Par :Olena Mukhina
24 août 2025 à 11:48

Key takeaways: 

  • Ukraine conducted another combined prisoner exchange, returning both military personnel and civilians, including two journalists and the former mayor of Kherson.
  • Among those released are representatives from almost all defense forces, primarily enlisted and non-commissioned ranks, many of whom spent over three years in captivity.
  • Ukrainian soldiers had defended key areas: Mariupol, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Sumy, and the Chernobyl nuclear plant.

Ukraine brings heroes home

On 24 August 2025, Ukraine, on its Independence Day, completed a combined prisoner exchange, returning both military personnel and civilians. According to Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for Prisoner Affairs, the United Arab Emirates assisted in the release of civilians.

Russia holds an estimated 8,000 Ukrainian soldiers in captivity. Additionally, nearly 60,000 Ukrainians are considered missing, many of whom may also be detained in Russian prisons. 

Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said that Ukraine was also involving Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in efforts to accelerate the return of illegally deported Ukrainian children stolen by Russian forces. 

“Thank you to the UAE for their help. Thank you to everyone whose work makes it possible for our people to return,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated. 

Who has been returned? 

  • As agreed in Istanbul, Ukrainian forces and eight civilians were released, including:
  • Soldiers from the Air Assault, Air Force, and Navy units
  • Defenders from the Territorial Defense, the National Guard, and the Border Service
  • Enlisted and NCO personnel, most of whom spent over three years in captivity
  • Two journalists: Dmytro Khilyuk and Mark Kaliushk
  • Medic Serhii Kovaliov of the “Hospitallers” battalion.

     

He saved the lives of defenders and civilians during the siege of the Azovstal plant in Mariupol, most of whom spent over three years in Russian captivity.
  • Former Kherson mayor Volodymyr Mykolaienko

“Also returning home is the former mayor of Kherson, Volodymyr Mykolaienko, who refused to collaborate with the occupiers,” the coordination headquarters added.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defense reports that Moscow and Kyiv conducted another prisoner exchange under the 146-for-146 formula.

According to the Russian military, 146 Russian soldiers returned to Russia in exchange for 146 Ukrainian soldiers. In addition, 8 residents of the Kursk Oblast also returned to Russia, the ministry specifies.

Where did they serve?

The returning personnel had defended strategic locations across Mariupol, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Sumy, and the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, with many coming from temporarily occupied territories and Crimea.

Reintegration and support

Released persons will receive medical care, examinations, treatment, state benefits, rehabilitation, and societal reintegration. Special thanks were extended to the UAE for facilitating the release of civilian citizens.

The Coordination Headquarters adds that it will continue working to locate and return every Ukrainian held in Russian captivity.

Earlier, Ukraine brought back home the last defender of Zmiinyi or Zmiinyi (Snake) Island. Vitalii Hyrenko returned home after spending more than three years in Russian captivity.

The defenders of Zmiinyi Island in the Black Sea became known in 2022 for the now-iconic phrase: “Russian warship, go f*ck yourself.” Ukrainian border guards stationed on the island received a demand to surrender from Russian warships.

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