Ukraine announces the liberation of 12 soldiers and 14 civilians in a prisoner exchange with Russia

INA-  sources 

Ukranian Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk wrote on Telegram: “On the order of President Volodymyr Zelensky, today a third prisoner exchange took place. 12 of our soldiers, including an officer, returned home. We also managed to free 14 civilians, including nine women, a total of 26 person.”

She added that 14 civilians, including nine women, were also on their way home. She did not specify how many Russians were released in exchange for the Ukrainians.

For her part, the Russian ombudsman for human rights, Tatiana Moskalkova, said that 14 Russian sailors returned to their country on Saturday.

“Thanks to the coordinated actions of the Russian army, 14 sailors have been released from the civilian ship Azov Concorde and are now being evacuated to a safe place,” she added.

Moskalkova said that since the beginning of the attack, Ukraine “has been holding the ship’s crew in the port of Mariupol, where the exit to the sea was mined.

Since Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the main port of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov has been subjected to heavy bombardment, which led to its destruction and many deaths.

The Ukrainians and Russians have previously carried out several prisoner exchanges since the attack began on February 24, but no official confirmations were issued from both sides each time.

On the first of April, the Ukrainian presidency announced the release of Russians, without specifying their number, in exchange for the liberation of 86 of its soldiers.