Zelenskyy: 1,429 Ukrainians repatriated from Russia since start of 2026; we preparing next steps
Seven exchange operations, during which over 1,400 Ukrainians were successfully returned from Russian captivity, have been carried out since the beginning of the year, and new ones are being prepared, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.
"The exchanges are not easy, but they are happening. We are preparing the next stages. It is important that we have already carried out seven operations this year, returning a total of 1,429 people so far," Zelenskyy said in an evening video address on Friday, thanking the troops on the front lines who are ensuring that Ukraine's exchange pool is replenished.
He said that another 186 Ukrainians returned home on Friday. "Most of them are military personnel-defenders who were captured on various fronts: Donetsk, Mariupol, Kharkiv, Luhansk, and others. We must bring everyone back, and we are checking and searching for each person by name. Today's exchange includes people with serious illnesses and those who have been wounded," the head of state said.
He also mentioned a conversation with the diplomatic team and preparations for "meetings that could be useful" with both European and American partners, without providing further details. "We know that Europeans are preparing new steps to support Ukraine. I thank everyone in the United States who stands with us, who stands with Ukraine, and who is striving to improve the situation to protect lives," Zelenskyy said.
Earlier, the president announced that 185 defenders and one civilian would be returning from Russian captivity on Friday. The president said that among the freed defenders are those who participated in the defense of Mariupol and at Azovstal, as well as those who fought in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporizhia, Sumy, Kyiv, and Kursk sectors. "Among them are those returning after years of Russian captivity, where they have been held since 2022," the head of state said.