On June 19, Ukraine and Russia conducted another prisoner exchange within the framework of the Istanbul agreements. This time, seriously ill and wounded soldiers were returned home.
Prisoner exchange: the first emotions of the liberated
Most of the Ukrainian soldiers who were freed today had been in captivity since 2022. A significant number of them were defenders of Mariupol.
Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Kirill Budanov published footage of the return of the military. The video shows the first emotions of our defenders – tears, smiles, hugs and long-awaited calls to their families.
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The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, also shared touching footage from the prisoner exchange on June 19.
“Everything will be fine. Wait. Don't cry,” said one of the released defenders during his first phone conversation with a loved one.
In the first seconds of returning to his home country, he thought not only about his own release, but also about other defenders who are still in Russian captivity.
“I always hoped, I waited for this day. I said I had to come back, I had to be in my right mind, because there were a lot of guys sitting and waiting,” the soldier said.
And one border guard, unable to hold back his tears, said: Hello, sunshine! How are you? I'm already home, I'm already in Ukraine…
Prisoner exchange on June 19: what is known
President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that during the prisoner exchange, it was possible to free soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the State Border Service.
Every defender released today has serious medical diagnoses and illnesses as a result of injuries and captivity. Many have significant weight loss, malnutrition, ulcers, vision problems, musculoskeletal diseases, cardiovascular diseases and digestive problems, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported.
The oldest soldier is 63 years old, another soldier is celebrating his birthday today – he is 45.
All those released were privates and sergeants.
