CHERNIHIV REGION, Ukraine (AP) — Russia and Ukraine mentioned Wednesday that they had every swapped 175 prisoners in one of many largest exchanges because the Russian full-scale invasion began three years in the past.
“We’re bringing again troopers, sergeants, and officers — warriors who fought for our freedom within the ranks of the Armed Forces, the Navy, the Nationwide Guard, the Territorial Protection Forces, and the Border Guard Service,” mentioned Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian chief mentioned Tuesday that releasing all prisoners of warfare in addition to captured civilians could be an vital step towards peace and will assist construct belief between the 2 international locations. He has repeatedly referred to as for an “all-for-all” prisoner alternate.
This comes as ongoing discussions about a temporary ceasefire which will pause the warfare proceed.
Heat reunions
Shortly after the alternate occurred close to the northern border of the 2 warring international locations, dozens of anxious households rushed to a hospital in Ukraine’s Chernihiv area set to obtain the launched prisoners.
Amongst them was 28-year-old Aliona Skuibida who has been campaigning for almost three years for the return of her fiance, Andrii Orel, captured in April 2022 in the course of the brutal battle for Mariupol, which finally fell to Russian forces.
Skuibida, a member of the Marine Corps Energy Affiliation, mentioned they have been to marry as quickly as he returned from the battlefield however he fell into Russian palms as a substitute.
“Captivity shouldn’t be a option to survive,” she mentioned, including that many troopers return from Russian captivity bearing indicators of torture.
However on Wednesday, Skuibida was able to rejoice Orel’s return with blue and yellow balloons and a cake. “His birthday was the day earlier than,” she mentioned.
A number of buses then pulled into the hospital grounds. As frail and visibly exhausted troopers poured out of the autos, their faces lit up. Some smiled, exhibiting misplaced enamel.
“Till I noticed our flag, I couldn’t imagine I used to be dwelling,” mentioned 46-year-old Oleksandr Savov. “After which I kissed it.” Subsequent to him stood his daughter, Anastasiia Savova, 25, who hadn’t heard from her father in almost three years. She faithfully wrote him letters whereas he was held captive that went unanswered.
“All I would like now could be peace, a bowl of borshch, an opportunity to clean, and to lie down in a clear mattress,” Oleksandr Savov mentioned. He believes he misplaced about 20 kilograms (about 44 kilos) throughout his imprisonment since Could, saying situations have been “chilly and damp,” with poor diet and no medical care.
Savov, 46, confirmed an Related Press reporter his palms coated in a pink rash.
As households reunited, there have been others nonetheless lacking. Some moved by means of the gang, carrying images of their lacking family members, desperately asking launched POWs if that they had seen them.
Russia’s Protection Ministry mentioned earlier Wednesday it had launched an extra 22 severely wounded Ukraine captives “as a goodwill gesture.” Zelenskyy mentioned they have been returned by means of a separate negotiation course of. Initially, Russian President Vladimir Putin had promised to launch 23 prisoners when he spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump about a potential partial ceasefire. There was no rapid touch upon the explanation the quantity modified.
Severely wounded troopers and fighters whom Russia had prosecuted on fabricated prices have been amongst these launched, Zelenskyy mentioned, promising that: “Ukraine remembers every of its heroes, and we are going to convey everybody dwelling.”
Prisoner exchanges require work
Prisoner exchanges have occurred all through the warfare, and Wednesday’s alternate had been deliberate earlier than the decision with the U.S. president.
Petro Yatsenko, head of the press workplace at Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Therapy of POWs, emphasised that prisoner exchanges require intensive preparation.
“These exchanges are usually not spontaneous occasions. They take months of cautious planning — not simply days or even weeks,” Yatsenko mentioned, including that the final alternate was on Feb. 5. “And we’ve been working constantly since then to organize for this one.”
For the reason that begin of the Russian invasion, greater than 4,000 Ukrainian captives, together with civilians and foreigners, have been launched, in response to the POW remedy headquarters.
The launched Ukrainian servicemen had been captured whereas defending a number of areas, together with Mariupol, the Azovstal metal plant, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kursk.
All those that returned will obtain rapid medical and psychological help, Zelenskyy mentioned in an announcement on Telegram. He additionally expressed gratitude to the Ukrainian workforce engaged on prisoner swaps and worldwide companions, notably the United Arab Emirates, for facilitating the alternate.
In line with the United Nations, most Ukrainian POWs undergo medical neglect, extreme and systematic mistreatment, and even torture whereas in detention. There have additionally been remoted reviews of abuse by Russian troopers, principally throughout seize or transit to internment websites.
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Related Press writers Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, and Brian Melley in London contributed to this report.
