This was announced on the afternoon of March 19 by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"Today is another day when Ukraine brings its people back. 175 of our defenders have been freed from russian captivity. Another 22 defenders are returning home thanks to measures outside of exchanges. Among them are severely wounded warriors and soldiers whom russia persecuted for fabricated crimes. Everyone will immediately receive the necessary medical and psychological assistance", - the President wrote on Telegram.
"This is one of the largest exchanges. Our soldiers, sergeants, and officers are returning. Warriors who fought for our freedom as part of the Armed Forces, Navy, National Guard, Territorial Defense Forces, and Border Guard Service. They defended Ukraine on various fronts: in Mariupol, at 'Azovstal', in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, as well as Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kursk oblasts", - Zelensky noted.
"Thank you to our team that works on finding Ukrainian prisoners and organizing exchanges for this crucial work and the results that bring hope. And we are grateful to all our partners, especially the United Arab Emirates, for making today's exchange possible. Ukraine remembers each and every one of our heroes, and we will definitely bring all our people home", - the President emphasized.
