“I love you a lot”. It is the farewell of a Ukrainian soldier to his mother in his first emotional call upon returning to his country after a prisoner exchange with Russia. The video, released by the Ukrainian Ombudsman, captures all the emotions – anguish, relief, hope – of this urgent communication to report that he is alive and in safe territory: “I am already in Ukraine.”
The Government of this country has not provided the identity or the unit to which the soldier belongs, who through tears tries to convey the good news of his release and, immediately afterwards, to ask about the sex of the child he was expecting before leaving. go to the front. “Girl”, answers his mother, the newborn’s grandmother, in a conversation in which the feelings of both are mixed with other nearby voices. In the end, the person who has established the connection tells the soldier’s mother that they are going to take him to a hospital for an examination and later they can talk again.
This Monday the last -so far- exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine was confirmed. The head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, Andrii Yermak, reported the return of a hundred people. “We repatriated 100 of our men, soldiers, sailors, border guards and members of the National Guard,” said Yermak, who called the swap “difficult.”
“Some are seriously injured and suffering from illnesses. We will do what is necessary so that each one receives the necessary help,” he added on Telegram. The previous exchange of prisoners between Kiev and Moscow had taken place on March 7, when Ukraine recovered 130 of its military and Russia 90. In December 2022, Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky indicated that more than 1,300 prisoners had been repatriated by Kiev in these exchanges since the beginning of the war. To this sum should be added the unspecified number of those who have been included in subsequent exchanges.
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