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The youngest released is 24 years old, the oldest is 60: Ukraine returns 25 more people from Russian captivity. Photos
On Wednesday, January 15, Ukraine returned its defenders from Russian captivity. As a result of the exchange, 25 soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine returned home.
It is worth noting that this was the first prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia in 2025. This was announced by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to the president, both military and civilians returned to Ukraine on January 15. Among the prisoners who returned from Russia were defenders of Mariupol and Azovstal, as well as Kharkiv, Donbas, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.
"Returning our people home is something Ukraine is constantly working on. And we will not stop until we bring back all our people. I am grateful to the team that searches for our people and organizes this important work. We are grateful to the United Arab Emirates for their assistance in making today's event possible," Zelenskyy said.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported that the youngest released was 24 years old, and the oldest was 60. These Ukrainians spent a long time in captivity without proper medical care and with inhumane treatment.
"The wounded have, among other things, loss of vision, amputations, complex bullet wounds, and the consequences of mine injuries. Among the diseases are tuberculosis, oncology, and gangrene, which is a clear indication of the conditions in which our people have to stay," the headquarters said in a statement.
Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets noted that seriously wounded and seriously ill servicemen had returned from Russian captivity. The Ombudsman clarified that among those returned was a civilian who was captured by the occupiers in the Kyiv region and illegally detained.
Lubinets also emphasized that the exchange became possible due to the hard work of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Ukrainian negotiators, and the support of the UAE's international partners.
"The next priority is to provide the returnees with the necessary range of medical care, surgeries, and rehabilitation. I would like to emphasize that we remember all those who are still in captivity and will continue to do everything for their return," Lubinets said.
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