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130 Ukrainian POWs return home from Russian captivity on Orthodox Easter

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130 Ukrainian POWs return home from Russian captivity on Orthodox Easter
130 Ukrainian POWs returned home to Ukraine on April 16, 2023. (Photo: Andriy Yermak / Telegram)

One-hundred-thirty Ukrainian POWs have returned home from Russian captivity on Orthodox Easter, President's Office Head Andriy Yermak reported on April 16.

"The quintessence of the Easter holiday is hope," Yermak wrote. "This is exactly what the relatives of the prisoners, who had been waiting for them for so long, felt."

The freed prisoners included soldiers, navy personnel, State Transport Special Service employees, border guards, and national guardsmen, Yermak wrote.

They were captured during fighting near Soledar, Bakhmut, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

On April 10, an additional 100 Ukrainians were freed during a prisoner exchange, including 80 men and 20 women. Nearly half of the released POWs had sustained serious injuries, were suffering from illnesses, or had been tortured.

What it’s like to know your loved ones are in Russian captivity

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The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.

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