Head of the President’s Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak has announced the return to Ukraine of 36 people as part of the next prisoner exchange, including defenders of Mariupol.

"We conducted another prisoner exchange. Thirty-six of our people have returned home – one civilian and 35 military," Yermak wrote on Telegram.

Among those released there are servicemen who defended Mariupol, those who were on Azovstal, as well as National guardsmen captured at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant in the first days of the Russian invasion.

In total, Yermak noted, 22 National guardsmen, eight border guards, four Navy soldiers and one serviceman from the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been released. A civilian released from captivity had his leg amputated.

"We manage to bring home those who spent eight months of the war in captivity. In the city of Slavutych there is a billboard on which it is written that the defenders of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant are being awaited at home. They are returning – and not only them," the head of the President’s Office wrote, thanking the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War for their assistance.