Prisoner exchange: three Ukrainian athletes returned home.

Ukraine's Minister of Youth and Sports Matviy Bidnyi announced today, September 15, that among the fighters released from captivity yesterday, there are three athletes.

Among the freed Heroes, liberated from Russian captivity, there are three athletes: track and field athlete Vladyslav Oksenchuk, freestyle wrestler Eldar Menumerov, and boxer Oleksandr Tsarov. These guys showed incredible courage and resilience. During the most challenging times, they swapped sports arenas for the real frontline to defend their Motherland. Now they are home again, and this is the greatest joy for each of us. We are proud of you!

Bidnyi also expressed gratitude to everyone who works every day to free Ukrainian prisoners from Russian captivity.

In total, on September 14, 103 Ukrainian fighters returned from Russia: 82 privates and sergeants, 21 officers. Among them are defenders of various regions of Ukraine, including Kyiv region, Donetsk region, Mariupol, and Luhansk region, as well as Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions. These are soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, National Guard, border guards, and police officers.

On September 13, 49 civilians and military personnel also returned. Among them were fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, National Guard, National Police, and State Border Service, as well as civilians.

Also, for the first time in more than a year, fighters from the "Azov" battalion returned. But currently, more than 900 "Azov" fighters remain in Russian captivity.