Ukraine managed to bring back 25 Ukrainians from Russian captivity including Azovstal defenders, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Jan. 15.
"Returning our people home is something that Ukraine is constantly working on. And we will not stop until we bring all of our people back," Zelensky said in a post on Telegram.
The returning Ukrainian POWs were captured during the defense of Mariupol and its Azovstal steel plant, as well as during the defense of other key areas of the front line in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts, Zelensky added.
He said some of those brought back have serious injuries and illnesses.
Bringing our people home is what Ukraine is constantly working on, and we will not stop until we bring all of our people back.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 15, 2025
Today, 25 more of our people are returning home to Ukraine. These are our military and civilians. Among them are the defenders of Mariupol and… pic.twitter.com/wDMeTUxYK0
The exchange was conducted on a 25 for 25 basis.
In a recent agreement, Russia and Ukraine agreed to prioritize wounded POWs at selection of exchanges, followed by those held longest in captivity.
President Zelensky also expressed his gratitude for the United Arab Emirates for mediating between the parties.
Over the past year, Ukraine conducted 11 prisoner exchanges and secured the return of 356 more people than in 2023. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Nearly 4,000 people have been released, including 1,358 in 2024.
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