Zelensky orders troops to capture 'more' Russian prisoners to facilitate release of Ukrainian 'heroes'
Zelensky
As the Ukraine war rages on for the seventh month Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday urged his troops to take more prisoners of the opposite side. He said that doing so might help them negotiate freedom for their nation's soldiers being held by Russia.
Zelensky made his remarks as the two warring nations undertook an exchange of prisoners; the biggest so far. A total of 218 detainees, including 108 Ukrainian women were part of the exchange.
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As per Zelensky's chief of staff Andriy Yermak, this included a dozen civilian women.
Taking to Telegram he revealed that "It was the first completely female exchange," and that 37 of the women had been captured when Moscow's forces in May seized Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol.
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As per the Reuters report citing the Ukrainian interior ministry, some of those freed had been in jail for almost three years since 2019. They had reportedly been detained by pro-Moscow authorities in eastern regions.
Additionally, the Russian-appointed head of one of the regions announced that Kyiv would be freeing 80 civilian sailors and 30 military personnel.
In his evening address, the war-torn nation's president said "The more Russian prisoners we have, the sooner we will be able to free our heroes. Every Ukrainian soldier, every front-line commander should remember this."
He also voiced his thanks for "everyone involved in this success, and I also thank all those who replenish our exchange fund, who ensure the capture of enemies."
Talking to reporters one of the women, Viktoria Obidina, who has been freed thanks to the exchange said that the prisoners were not aware that they were being exchanged.
Recalling her capture, she said that she was with her daughter in Mariupol, that the two got separated, and that she has yet to see her daughter.
"I will go to see my daughter. I want to see her so bad."
(With inputs from agencies)
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