‘Defenders of Mariupol and Snake Island’ among 189 Ukrainians freed in prisoner swap with Russia Soldiers who defended the southern city of Mariupol besieged by Vladimir Putin’s troops were among 189 Ukrainians freed in a prisoner swap with Russia.
Ukrainian defenders of Snake Island in the Black Sea, an isle which has been bitterly fought over since the start of the war, were also among those freed.
“These are military personnel: defenders of Azovstal and Mariupol, Chornobyl NPP, Zmiinyi Island (Snake Island), and various frontline sectors.
Ukrainian forces staved off Putin’s military seizing the city of Mariupol for nearly three months after the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022.
Today is one of those days – our team has managed to bring 189 Ukrainians back home,” Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X, also known as Twitter.
