UKRAINE, Jun 10 — Ukraine has exchanged more prisoners of war, as part of the peace talks with Russia in Istanbul, said Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president.

During the June 2 peace talks in Turkey, Ukraine and Russia delegations agreed to exchange severely wounded and critically ill soldiers, all soldiers aged 18–25, and the remains of 6,000 killed troops.

On June 9, Ukraine brought home the first group of soldiers under 25.

“Today marks the first stage of the return of our injured and severely wounded warriors from Russian captivity,” said Zelenskyy.

All soldiers swapped today suffer from severe injuries and serious illnesses, such as amputated limbs, vision problems, abscesses, infections, shrapnel wounds, and chronic diseases. Some of the liberated soldiers were diagnosed with hepatitis and tuberculosis. The medical centers will provide all of them with further treatment and rehabilitation.

The Ukrainian president said that Servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including representatives of the Navy, Ground Forces, Territorial Defence Forces, Unmanned Systems Forces, Air Assault Forces, Border Guard Service, National Guard, and Transport Special Service, had returned home today.

The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported that there were defenders of Mariupol who spent more than three years in Russian captivity, including soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and officers.

Oleh Syniehubov, the governor of the Kharkiv Oblast, said that among the released soldiers are eight from from Kharkiv, Merefa, and Chuhuiv district of the region.

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