On 24 August, Independence Day, Ukraine managed to bring home 115 soldiers from Russian captivity. Soldiers of the National Guard, the Armed Forces, the Navy, and the State Border Guard Service have returned to Ukrainian soil.
This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The DIU added that all of the released men were conscripts.
"Another 115 of our defenders returned home today. These are soldiers of the National Guard, the Armed Forces, the Navy, and the State Border Guard Service," the president said in a statement.
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine clarified that nine illegally convicted defenders were released. Navy sailors and three border guards were released, as well as 82 defenders of Mariupol (fifty of them defended Azovstal).
All of those rescued this time were soldiers, sergeants and sailors. Also returning home are six National Guardsmen from the garrison guarding the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, and servicemen who defended Kyiv and Donetsk Regions, as well as Kherson and Luhansk Regions. Among those released are the defenders of Gostomel, the reserve command post of the General Staff in Kyiv Region, and the Chongar checkpoint.
The President thanked each unit that replenishes our exchange fund.
"This brings the release of our military and civilians from Russian captivity closer. I thank our team and partners, the UAE, for bringing our people home," he added.
"We remember each and every one of them. We are looking for them and making every effort to return them all," the President stressed.
Today, the Russians announced that they had received back 115 conscripts who surrendered in Kursk Region.
