Moscow and Kyiv exchanged seven civilians. Hostages held by Russia since 2022 have returned to Ukraine

Russia and Ukraine exchanged seven civilians on each side. Ukraine said it had received seven civilian hostages who had been held by Russian authorities since 2022 after occupying Mariupol, Kyiv, Kharkov, Zaporozhye and Luhansk regions.

According to the Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmitry Lubinets, those released were from 35 to 66 years old. Among them is a resident of the Buchansky district of the Kyiv region, as well as a man whom the Russian military took from his home because his sons were serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Another Ukrainian, according to Lubinets, was detained on his way to work on the day of the full-scale Russian invasion.

Among those who returned was also a volunteer of the “Angels of Tyra” brigade in Mariupol. He was detained in 2022 on the same day as the head of the unit, Yulia Paevskaya, known as Taira. Ukraine was able to return her from Russian captivity back in 2022.

Russian Ombudsman Yana Lantratova confirmed the exchange according to the “7 to 7” formula. According to her, five residents of the Kursk region returned to Russia, including a resident of Sudzha, as well as two people from other regions. Lantratova claims that the Ukrainian military captured five Kursk residents during the invasion of the Kursk region.