Ukraine brings home 205 POWs in 1st stage of major prisoner swap

Ukraine secured the release of 205 service members from Russian captivity on May 15, marking the first phase of a large-scale "1,000-for-1,000" exchange. The group includes soldiers from the Armed Forces, National Guard, and State Border Guard Service, many of whom were captured in 2022 during the defense of Mariupol, Azovstal, and the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

"We will continue to fight for every person who still remains in captivity," President Volodymyr Zelensky said. He credited the success of the swap to the "exchange fund" replenished by Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines and the support of international partners.

Photo: Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War; President Volodymyr Zelensky / Telegram.