Overview

• President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Telegram that soldiers from Ukraine’s Armed Forces, National Guard and State Border Service returned home in this exchange.
• The majority of freed Ukrainian defenders had been held for more than three years, with many taken captive during the 2022 siege of Mariupol.
• Neither side disclosed the number of detainees released despite pledging in Istanbul to swap at least 1,000 soldiers each.
• Returned Ukrainian captives will undergo medical examinations, receive psychological support and obtain full back pay for their period of captivity.
• Russia reported that its freed servicemen were transferred to Belarus for medical and psychological care.