Russian and Ukrainian authorities on Tuesday confirmed a new prisoner exchange under which Russia has taken back 90 servicemen held captive by Ukraine, while another 130 Ukrainian defenders have been returned to Kiev.
As confirmed on social networks by the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andrii Yermak, among the citizens who have returned to the national territory are members of the Armed Forces, the National Guard and even border agents.
Yermak also detailed that out of the 130 prisoners released by Russia, 87 had performed defensive duties in the city of Mariupol, 71 of whom are noted for having defended the Azovstal steel plant.
Most of the people we recovered today are seriously wounded. As President Volodymyr Zelensky says, the state must take care of each of them. Each of our heroes must feel that the state is taking care of him,» Yermak concluded.
For its part, the Russian Defense Ministry has issued a statement confirming that Ukraine has released 90 Russian prisoners of war, all of whom »were in danger of death», reports TASS news agency.
The Defense Ministry has assured that the Russian servicemen will be transferred to Moscow for treatment and rehabilitation, and has emphasized that all of them »have the necessary medical and psychological assistance».
Russia and Ukraine have completed several prisoner exchanges since the outbreak of the war more than a year ago. Normally, these processes have followed the principle of proportion, although this is not the case with this latest exchange.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
