Zelensky Confirms Return of 49 Ukrainian POWs to Kyiv

49 Ukrainian POWs

On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the successful return of 49 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) from Russia. The group was seen being welcomed at the Ukrainian border with Belarus, with AFP journalists witnessing their arrival.

Although Zelensky did not specify if the release was part of a prisoner exchange with Russia, as has often been the case during the war, AFP reporters had earlier observed Russian POWs being transported onto a bus near the border, suggesting a reciprocal exchange might have occurred.

This marks the second known exchange between Ukraine and Russia following Kyiv’s unexpected military incursion into Russia’s Kursk region. The recent uptick in exchanges signals ongoing efforts by both sides to repatriate their captured personnel.

In his announcement, Zelensky highlighted that the group of returnees included not only military personnel but also civilians. Among them was a young woman who had been taken hostage while caring for her ill father.

The President expressed relief over the return of these civilians, emphasizing the emotional and humanitarian significance of their safe arrival home.

In addition to civilians, the exchange brought back several Ukrainian fighters who had participated in some of the war’s most intense battles, including the notorious 2022 siege of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol.

This battle became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance during the early stages of the Russian invasion, with defenders holding out against overwhelming Russian forces. Fighters from the National Guard, border guards, police officers, and soldiers were also among those released.

Two women in their twenties who had been at the Azovstal plant were among the group of returnees. Wrapped in Ukrainian flags and receiving flowers, they shared their relief and disbelief at finally being home.

Twenty-eight-year-old Tamara Miroshnikova, a commander of an armed vehicle in Ukraine’s National Guard, expressed her overwhelming joy: “I’m finally home, I can’t believe it.”

Another returnee, 29-year-old Tetiana Bugay, who served as a medic with the Azov brigade, similarly conveyed her emotions about being freed after enduring the harrowing siege.

Earlier in the day, AFP had reported seeing Russian POWs being transported by the Ukrainian military on a bus, their faces covered with hoods that were later removed as they were transferred into a minivan.

Brief conversations with some of the Russian captives revealed that they had been taken prisoner during Ukraine’s surprise offensive in the Kursk region the previous month.

This exchange between the two nations underscores the ongoing volatility of the conflict while also serving as a reminder of the personal toll the war has taken on those directly involved.

For the 49 Ukrainian POWs, their return marks the end of a painful ordeal, but for many others, the uncertainty of captivity continues.

The repatriation of these individuals offers a glimmer of hope for the families and friends of those still detained, as efforts to negotiate the release of prisoners on both sides persist.