Ten more civilians returned from Russian captivity, Nariman Dzhelyal among them

Volodymyr Zelensky announced this on the social media platform X, Ukrinform reports.

“We have managed to free 10 more of our people from Russian captivity, despite all the difficulties. Nariman Dzhelyal, Deputy Head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, was captured in Crimea back in 2021. Olena Piekh and Valeriy Matiushenko, civilians, have been held captive since 2017-2018. Bohdan Heleta and Ivan Levytskyi, priests of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, were captured in Berdyansk for resisting the occupiers. Additionally, five more civilians who were captured in Belarus and deprived of their freedom – Mykola Shvets, Natalia Zakharenko, Pavlo Kupriienko, Liudmyla Honcharenko, and Kateryna Briukhanova. All of them are now free and home in Ukraine,” he posted.

He thanked everyone who helped return these Ukrainian citizens. The President emphasized the role of the Vatican in this process.

"I am grateful to our team that is engaged in the liberation of prisoners. I would also like to note the efforts of the Vatican to bring these people home," Zelensky posted.

As reported by Ukrinform, on June 25, 90 defenders returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity.