“Our guys are home.” After months of silence and deadlock, Ukraine regained 157 of its citizens. Many of them have been waiting for freedom since 2022.
“Ours are at home — 157 Ukrainians,” wrote Volodymyr Zelensky on Telegram, calling the exchange particularly significant because it took place after a long break.
“Most of them had been in captivity since 2022.” – emphasized the Ukrainian president, thanking all those involved in organizing the exchange and the Ukrainian army, whose actions help maintain the country's negotiating position.
The Ukrainian Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported that this was the first exchange of prisoners in 2026 and 71st since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
According to the institution, Ukraine freed 150 soldiers and seven civilians. The released people included soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including the navy, land forces, air force and territorial defense units, as well as members of the National Guard and the State Border Service. In addition to the soldiers and sergeants, several officers were also released.
The released soldiers defended Ukraine on many fronts, including: in the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporozhye, Kherson and Sumy oblasts.
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According to the Coordination Headquarters, more than half of the people released were released she was captured during defense of Mariupol in 2022. Among those released was a National Guard soldier captured during Russia's seizure of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
The headquarters reported that 139 people who returned home on Thursday had been held in Russian captivity since 2022.
A Kyiv Post correspondent filmed the reaction of Ukrainian woman Olga, who finally received a call from her husband Ruslan, captured in Mariupol in the spring of 2022. He was released as part of Thursday's exchange — the first in over four monthsafter Russia blocked the process.
According to Ukrainian officials, the exchange included several Ukrainians illegally convicted by Russia. The youngest freed soldier is currently 23 years old. He was captured at the age of 19 while defending Mariupol and later sentenced to life imprisonment by a Russian court, which Ukraine considers illegal. The oldest person released in the exchange is 63 years old.
Long process of recovery
Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said they were released they endured extremely difficult conditions in captivity and now face a long process of recovery.
He announced that Ukraine would provide comprehensive assistance, including medical examinations, treatment if necessary, rehabilitation and mental health support programs.
— Despite the long break in the exchange, the work on bringing our people home never ends, Klymenko said, calling the process complex and multi-stage.
First breakthrough in months
The Coordination Headquarters thanked the United States and the United Arab Emirates for their assistance in organizing the exchange and ensuring the return of both military personnel and civilians.
Those released will undergo full medical examinations and will receive all state benefits provided for by law, officials said. Ukraine will also support their reintegration into society after long-term isolation in captivity.
“We remember all those who are still in captivity,” Zelensky said. “We're working on every single name. We have to bring everyone home,” he stressed
Zelensky had earlier signaled that a prisoner exchange was imminent after talks in Abu Dhabi, in which the delegations of Ukraine and Russia participated and were mediated by the US.
On Wednesday, the president said he had received a report from Ukrainian negotiators in Abu Dhabi and expected a prisoner exchange “in the near future,” calling it a significant step toward bringing Ukrainians home.
According to US special envoy Steve Witkoff, the Ukrainian and Russian delegations, together with US representatives, agreed during talks in Abu Dhabi to prepare an exchange of 314 prisoners. These negotiations constituted the first breakthrough in the months-long diplomatic impasse.
Zelensky has previously said that Russia is deliberately delaying the prisoner exchange to put pressure on Ukraine during negotiations.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
