Ukraine hands over five seriously wounded soldiers to Russia, including sole female captive

Ukraine handed over to the Russian Federation five more seriously wounded occupiers, including the only woman who was in Ukrainian captivity.

The Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported this on Telegram.

The health of the five prisoners was stabilized to a point where they were deemed fit for transportation. In compliance with international humanitarian law, the repatriation of the prisoners occurred without any conditions for Russia.

On March 24, Ukraine repatriated five individuals who had been severely wounded and could be transported.

Furthermore, to commemorate Ramadan, Ukraine relinquished two Russian Muslim prisoners of war. Ukraine proposed an exchange of Muslim prisoners by the principle of "all for all" to demonstrate respect for cultural and religious customs. However, Russia did not endorse the idea.

It should be noted that on April 10, Ukraine returned 80 male and 20 female defenders from captivity, particularly defenders of Mariupol, "Azovstal," and Hostomel.

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On March 1, the Russian forces began their siege of Mariupol, and by the end of April, the city's last defenders had been trapped inside the Azovstal plant. These individuals, including wounded Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, faced constant shelling and a shortage of food, water, and medical supplies.

On May 17, the General Staff of Ukraine's armed forces announced the completion of their combat mission and ordered unit commanders to prioritize the safety of their personnel.

Subsequently, more than 2,500 defenders from Azovstal have been in Russian custody since they departed from Mariupol, with some having already been repatriated. Unfortunately, many of the defenders remain in captivity.