Ukraine returns 189 defenders from Russian captivity

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this.

"The return of our people from Russian captivity is always very good news for each of us. And today is one of those days: our team managed to bring 189 Ukrainians home," he wrote.

Among the returned prisoners of war are defenders of Azovstal and Mariupol, Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Zmiinyi Island, and from various frontlines. They include soldiers, sergeants, and officers.

"These are National Guardsmen, including Azov fighters, border guards, Territorial Defense fighters, servicemen of the Naval Forces, and the Armed Forces. Also, two civilians who were captured in Mariupol," Zelenskyy reported.

The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War shared that the 11th prisoner exchange in 2024 allowed the release of:

• 87 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (including 17 from the Territorial Defense),
• 43 from the National Guard of Ukraine,
• 33 from the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine,
• 24 from the Naval Forces,
• and two civilians.

"In addition to Mariupol and Zmiinyi Island, those released defended Ukraine in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson directions. National Guardsmen also served guarding the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Additionally, we returned those who were captured in the Kursk region," the statement says.

In total, 3,956 Ukrainians have returned home since the start of the full-scale invasion.

• The last POW exchange took place on October 18, 2024. At that time, Ukraine managed to return 95 servicemen.