Ukrainian servicemen
On October 17, Moscow and Kiev carried out another prisoner exchange. The Russian side has received 110 people, while Ukraine got 108 servicemen back. According to the head of the Donetsk People’s Republic, two women refused to go to Ukraine and decided to stay in Russia.
The deal supposed the exchange of 110 people for 110, with Moscow transferring mostly women to Kiev. Russia intended to return about 30 military personnel from the republics of Donbass and other regions of the country, as well as about 80 civilian sailors.
Nine servicemen of the People’s Militia of the DPR returned home from Ukrainian captivity. Earlier, the People’s Militia of the LPR reported that 11 servicemen returned to the republic from Ukrainian captivity.
LPR servicemen:
DPR servicemen
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that 72 sailors from civilian vessels had been returned. The Russian sailors have been held captive in the in the city of Izmail, Odessa Oblast since February.
According to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine, the Russian side handed over 37 servicemen captured at the Mariupol metallurgical plant Azovstal, including 11 officers, 85 soldiers and sergeants. Ukraine received 35 female soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 32 from the Navy, 12 from the Defense Ministry, eight from the National Guard, including two women from the nazi Azov regiment, five from the Transport Service, four border guards and 12 civilians.
The Ukrainian official added that this was a nervous exchange as there were too many details that could affect the process, change its course. There are always a lot of risks in exchanges, he said.
