First phase frees 200 prisoners of war, larger group expected to return home tomorrow
Ukraine completed the first stage of a major prisoner exchange today, returning 200 servicemen from Russian captivity — including long-held Mariupol defenders — with a larger group expected tomorrow, the Coordination Headquarters’ “I Want to Live” project announced.
The Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights confirmed that the March 5 prisoner exchange is the first stage of implementing the agreements.
“Today 200 defenders of Ukraine returned home, while Russia took back 200 of its soldiers. Tomorrow the exchange will continue with an even larger number of prisoners of war,” the project reported.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that approximately 7,000 Ukrainians are currently held in Russian captivity, while Ukraine holds about 4,000 Russian prisoners. Ukraine is ready for an “all-for-all” exchange.
The latest exchange
Among those returning from captivity on Thursday are defenders of Mariupol, and the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. The freed Mariupol defenders spent nearly four years in captivity.
Mostly soldiers and sergeants are returning home, but officers were also freed.
According to the commissioner, many of the freed are in serious psychological condition. Some have critically low body weight. Those released from captivity will undergo full medical examination, receive physical and psychological rehabilitation assistance and all state-provided payments.
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