Porto-Franco City

A new prisoner exchange has taken place in Ukraine, resulting in the return of both military and civilian individuals. On Independence Day, following the President's directive, another stage of the exchange was conducted. In Istanbul, Ukrainian defenders returned home, and as part of the 68th exchange, eight civilians were also freed. Among the released soldiers were representatives from all branches of the military: airborne, air force, navy, as well as territorial defense, national guard, and border guard. Most of them had spent over three years in captivity.

The soldiers who returned had defended Mariupol and other strategic areas, as well as safeguarded the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Among those freed were journalists Dmytro Khilyuk and Mark Kalіush, who were detained by the occupiers in 2022 and 2023. Also released was medic Serhiy Kovalov, who provided assistance during the siege of the Azovstal plant, alongside the former mayor of Kherson, Volodymyr Mykolaienko, who did not cooperate with the occupiers.

We express our gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for their support in facilitating the return of our citizens. The freed individuals will receive comprehensive medical care, undergo examinations, and receive treatment. They will also be entitled to state benefits and assistance in rehabilitation and reintegration after prolonged isolation.

We sincerely thank all organizations involved in the coordinated efforts to free our citizens. The coordination headquarters continues to work on locating, documenting, and returning everyone who remains in Russian captivity.