Ukraine announces release of 20 Ukrainian POWs from Russian captivity amid war
The announcement regarding the release of Ukrainian soldiers was made by the head of the office of Ukraine’s President, Andriy Yermak on Thursday, 13 October.
Ukraine has succeeded in conducting another prison exchange and securing the release of 20 Ukrainian soldiers from Russian captivity. The announcement regarding the release of Ukrainian soldiers was made by the head of the office of Ukraine’s President, Andriy Yermak on Thursday, 13 October. The development comes as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues for more than 200 days.
Taking to his Twitter handle, Andriy Yermak said, “Another POWs swap, another moment of joy and understanding that today will be one of the best days in life for many families.” In a series of tweets, Yermak revealed that the soldiers who have been freed from Russian captivity include 14 soldiers of the Ukrainian armed forces, four Territorial Defence Forces service personnel, one national guard and one Navy personnel. According to him, among them are people who were kept by Russia in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. Andriy Yermak informed that the soldiers were undergoing medical examination.
Russia announces release of 20 soldiers
In a tweet, Yermak said, “There are people whom the Russians kept in Olenivka, in the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. The men are now undergoing a medical examination, all are happy to be on their native land. They were very much awaited at home. Wives, and children, and parents.”
Earlier in the day, the Russian Defence Ministry announced that 20 soldiers of Russia were released from the captivity of Ukraine in a “negotiation process” with Kyiv, CNN reported. It further stated that all the released soldiers were being provided with the necessary “psychological and medical assistance.”
Ukraine urges ICRC to send mission in Olenivka
On October 13, Ukraine requested the International Committee of the Red Cross to send a delegation to the Russian prisoner-of-war camp in Olenivka in the Russian-occupied territory of the Donetsk region. Andriy Yermak made the appeal during a video call with representatives of the ICRC and other international organizations.
He called it “extremely important” to witness the conditions under which the Ukrainian prisoners are held and what they experience in detention centres of Russia and the Moscow-occupied regions of Ukraine. He urged the ICRC to send its mission by October 17 and resolve the issue. Yermak assured Ukraine of facilitating the IRGC mission in “every possible way.”
“I call for the Red Cross mission with international media representatives to arrive in Ukraine no later than in three days, even if you do not receive confirmation from Russia by this time. And we are sure that Russia is not interested in the truth being known. We call to send a mission that will be on the frontline until Russia issues these permits,” Andriy Yermak said.
