Seventy-six Ukrainian citizens – 12 soldiers and 64 civilians – have been freed in a recent exchange of detainees between the Ukrainian authorities and the self-proclaimed Russia-controlled republics, "Donetsk People's Republic" ("DPR") and "Luhansk People's Republic" ("LPR"), which took place at the Mayorske checkpoint in Donetsk region on Sunday, December 29.

"As a result of the exchange, released were 12 servicemen (three of them were in prison in 'DPR'/'LPR' territory since 2015); 64 civilians (seventeen of them were held captive since 2015-2016)," Ukraine's SBU Security Service said.

According to the information posted on the SBU's website, the following 12 soldiers were freed:

1. Volodymyr Voskobiynyk;

2. Oleksandr Heimur;

3. Serhiy Hlondar;

4. Ivan Deyev;

5. Kim Duvanov;

6. Yuriy Yevtushok;

7. Vasyl Zhemelynsky;

8. Serhiy Ivanchuk;

9. Oleksandr Korinkov;

10. Bohdan Pantiushenko

11. Borys Pundor;

12. Roman Fursov.

The following civilians held captive by the "DPR" and the "LPR" were released:

1. Eduard Aloyan;

2. Vitaliy Anikimov;

3. Stanislav Aseyev;

4. Larysa Bahnenko;

5. Dmytro Batrak;

6. Yevhen Brazhnykov;

7. Volodymyr Burtsev;

8. Vitaliy Buyanov;

9. Viktoria Voronina;

10. Oleh Halaziuk;

11. Roman Gis;

12. Tetiana Honcharova;

13. Yevhen Horban;

14. Tetiana Horbulych;

15. Olha Hubkina;

16. Oleksandr Danylchenko;

17. Volodymyr Danylchenko;

18. Vasyl Derkach;

19. Valentyna Yeremenko;

20. Andriy Zhenchus;

21. Olena Zavalna;

22. Vadym Zavatsky;

23. Natalia Karachor;

24. Dmytro Karpuk;

25. Ivan Katyshev;

26. Serhiy Keriukhin;

27. Denys Koval;

28. Roman Korkishko;

29. Andriy Kochmuradov;

30. Yakiv Kryvosheyev;

31. Oleh Kulakov;

32. Ihor Kulysh;

33. Olena Lazareva;

34. Zinayida Maltseva;

35. Anastasia Mukhina;

36. Serhiy Nikolayev;

37. Denys Oliynyk;

38. Oleksandr Paukov;

39. Stanislav Pechenkin;

40. Roman Pysanets;

41. Kyrylo Polikarpov;

42. Oleksandr Polyakov;

43. Oleksandr Repetylo;

44. Serhiy Robak;

45. Valeriy Romanchenko;

46. Vasyl Savin;

47. Denys Sekatsky;

48. Valeriy Semenov;

49. Anatoliy Semyrenko;

50. Valeriy Sokolov;

51. Olena Sorokina;

52. Oleh Suherei;

53. Valeriy Tarasyuk;

54. Maksym Teorenter;

55. Halyna Tereshchenko;

56. Oleksandr Tymofeyev;

57. Yuriy Tuchyn;

58. Serhiy Usatiuk;

59. Vadym Halymendyk;

60. Yevhen Tsyhanok;

61. Maryna Chuykova;

62. Ruslan Sheiter;

63. Alla Yarmyshko;

64. Andriy Yarovy.

Commenting on the outcome of the swap, SBU chief Ivan Bakanov said: "The exchange is confirmation of how important it is for the president of Ukraine to protect every Ukrainian who finds himself or herself in difficult circumstances over Russian aggression."

According to him, there is no "win-win" solution to such issues. It is always an attempt to get the most out of the available possibilities, he said.

"The main thing is that we've managed to achieve the result," Bakanov added.

The SBU welcomed the freed Ukrainians in Ukrainian territory, assuring that in future they would make every effort so that all detained citizens of Ukraine could return home.

As was reported earlier, 76 Ukrainians, including 12 Ukrainian soldiers, were freed in the December 29 prisoner swap.