UKRAINE, Mar. 5 — On Mar. 5, Ukraine conducted the first stage of the prisoners of war exchange as a part of the Geneva agreements and returned 200 Ukrainian soldiers from Russian captivity, reported the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

18 Kharkiv locals are among those 200 POWs, including people from Kharkiv, Zlatopil, Vovchansk, Bohodukhiv, and the Kharkiv, Izium, Chuhuiv, Lozova, Bohodukhiv, and Berestyn districts, said Oleh Syniehubov, the governor of the Kharkiv region.

The Headquarters reported that among the military personnel released today are the defenders from the Ukrainian Navy, the Ground Forces, the Territorial Defence Forces, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Air Assault Forces, and the Air Forces. There are also soldiers and officers from the National Guard of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service, and the State Transport Special Service.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that, among the exchanged POWs, there are defenders of Mariupol who were in Russian captivity for four years. There are also defenders of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Earlier, Zelenskyy said that over 7,000 Ukrainian people are still in Russian captivity.

Read more

  • Russian forces use more mercenaries against Ukraine in Kharkiv oblast than in other areas of front line

⚡ The fifth year of the Russian full-scale invasion started, so it’s been four years since most of us here at our Kharkiv-based newsroom became war reporters. Please consider supporting our journalism via a one-time donation — or join our community.