324 citizens rescued in prisoner exchanges with Russia since start of war, Ukraine says

ISTANBUL

As many as 324 Ukrainians have been rescued in nine prisoner exchanges with Russian forces since the start of war in February, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said Thursday.

“All this has been achieved as a result of systematic and complex work of the Joint Center for Search and Release of Prisoners, which operates under the patronage of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – President Volodymyr Zelenskyi,” it said in a statement.

The SBU said it has a dedicated hotline for information about illegal imprisonment or captivity of its citizens. “Let’s bring Ukrainians back home!” it added.

Russia’s war on Ukraine has left thousands dead or wounded, and forced more than 5.6 million people to flee abroad.

Moscow calls its actions a “special military operation” to “demilitarize” and “denazify” Ukraine. For Western countries, however, it is a war of aggression, who have imposed severe sanctions in response.

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