The Kyiv Independent launches travel show
Skip to content
Edit post

75 Ukrainian prisoners brought back from Russian captivity

by Martin Fornusek May 31, 2024 1:27 PM 3 min read
Another 75 prisoners have been brought back home from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 31, 2024. (President Volodymyr Zelensky/Telegram)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Ukraine brought back 75 people from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 31.

This includes service personnel of the Armed Forces and the National Guard, border guards, and four civilians.

The former captives were exchanged for 75 Russian soldiers, RIA Novosti claimed, citing the country's Defense Ministry.

"Throughout all of this time, we have not stopped working for a single day to bring everyone home from Russian captivity," Zelensky said on X.

"We remember about every person. We are making every effort to find each and every one of our people. I am grateful to the team responsible for the exchanges."

The released captives include 70 men and five women, including 19 defenders of Snake Island, 14 personnel who defended the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and 10 defenders of Mariupol, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported, confirming that they were released as part of an exchange.

This is the 52nd prisoner exchange since the outbreak of the full-scale war. As of May 31, 3,210 Ukrainian soldiers have been freed from Russian captivity, the headquarters said.

The headquarters thanked the United Arab Emirates for their role in facilitating the latest exchange.

Zelensky named a possible all-for-all prisoner of war (POW) exchange as one of the ideas to be discussed during the upcoming global peace summit in Switzerland in June.

The previously reported prisoner exchange occurred on Feb. 8, with 100 Ukrainian POWs freed from Russian captivity.

Before that, on Jan. 3, 230 prisoners were exchanged in the largest prisoner exchange since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

0:00
/
Another 75 prisoners have been brought back home from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 31, 2024. (SBU/Telegram)
Zelensky: Ukraine open to considering all-for-all POW exchange
Ukraine is open to considering an all-for-all prisoner of war (POW) exchange, and will discuss the idea at the upcoming Peace Summit in Switzerland in June, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 3.

News Feed

10:06 PM

Bulgaria to ask EU to suspend egg imports from Ukraine.

"When the import of a certain type of product or commodity — vegetables, meat, eggs — reaches certain limits that the European Commission has outlined in advance, then we can activate the mechanism of banning their import. We are currently doing this in terms of eggs," Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Georgi Takhov said.
9:01 PM

Zelensky to meet Biden, Harris in White House on Sept. 26.

"The leaders will discuss the state of the war between Russia and Ukraine, including Ukraine’s strategic planning and U.S. support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression," White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
5:00 PM

Polish FM reportedly suggests UN mandate and referendum in Crimea.

"We could put it under a U.N. mandate with a mission to prepare a fair referendum after checking who the legal residents are and so on... And we could postpone it for 20 years," Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski suggested as one possible option, according to Interfax-Ukraine.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.