Eighty-nine representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, including 72 guardsmen, 16 border guards, and a rescuer, have returned to Ukraine. Many had been held in Russian captivity since 2022, with some illegally sentenced to life imprisonment.

The statement noted that the long captivity had negatively impacted the health of the defenders, and assured that they would receive necessary support for treatment and rehabilitation. The efforts were attributed to the President of Ukraine, the Head of the Office of the President, and the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.