Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on June 28 announced the return of 10 Ukrainian civilians who had been held captive by Russia.
"We managed to return 10 more of our people from Russian captivity. Despite all the difficulties," Zelenskiy said on Telegram. He added that five of the civilians had been "detained on the territory of Belarus."
The Ukrainian leader noted that the returning captives include Crimean Tatar leader Nariman Dzhelyal, deputy chairman of Crimean Tatar's self-governing assembly, the Mejlis, which was banned by pro-Moscow representatives in Crimea after the peninsula was illegally annexed in 2014.
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Ukrainians Return From Captivity In Russia And Belarus
Dzhelyal was arrested in September 2021 on suspicion of involvement in an attack on a gas pipeline.
Two others among the 10 who were released had been in captivity for about six years.
To read the original story on RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, click here.