Major prisoner exchange sees 49 Ukrainians released from Russian captivity
In a significant development, 49 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians have returned home after being held captive by Russia during its ongoing aggressive war against Ukraine, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“This includes warriors from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, National Guard, National Police, State Border Service, as well as our civilian citizens,” stated President Zelensky in his official address.
One notable detainee is Crimean Tatar journalist Lenie Umerova, who had been arrested in Russia on espionage charges.
The 25-year-old Umerova was initially detained at the Russian-Georgian border in early December 2022 while traveling from Tbilisi to Simferopol to care for her ailing father. She was detained at the "Verkhny Lars" checkpoint on the Georgia border and initially placed under administrative arrest. In May 2023, she was formally charged with espionage under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code and subsequently held in a pre-trial detention center with her case classified as secret.
Among those freed were also some defenders of Azovstal, including military medic Viktor Ivchuk, who had earlier been awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian President thanked "each Ukrainian unit" contributing to the nation's "exchange fund."
Pro-Russian blogger Boris Rozhin indicated an exchange format of "49 for 49," which included conscripted soldiers captured in the Kursk region.
The Russian organization “Our Exit,” dedicated to locating and repatriating Russian military personnel, also confirmed that the exchange included servicemen who had surrendered in the Kursk region.
On August 24, Ukraine and Russia conducted a major prisoner swap in a "115 for 115" format. Zelensky clarified in a prior Telegram message that released servicemen were from the National Guard, Armed Forces, Navy, and State Border Service.
The Coordination Headquarters of Ukraine specified that the returned individuals were all conscripts, with some captured in the early months of Russia’s invasion in 2022. The group included military sailors, border guards, and 82 defenders of Mariupol, 50 of whom were Azovstal defenders.