Vereshchuk: First full-fledged prisoner swap with Russia held

"Today, by order of President Zelensky, the first full-fledged exchange of prisoners of war took place. Ten our servicemen were released in exchange for 10 captured occupiers," Iryna Vereshchuk, Deputy Prime Minister – Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, posted on Telegram.

According to Vereshchuk, 11 Russian civilian sailors rescued from a sunken ship near Odesa were also transferred to Russia today.

As a result of this exchange, 19 Ukrainian civilian sailors from the Sapphire rescue ship, captured by Russian invaders while trying to take the Ukrainian military from Zmiinyi (Snake) Island, return home.

Under the exchange terms, the rescue ship will also be returned to Ukraine and sent to a port in Turkey.

As reported, on February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin started the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops shell and destroy key infrastructure, massively fire on residential areas of Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages using artillery, MLRS, and ballistic missiles.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, with the support of the entire nation, courageously resist aggression.

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