The Russian Armed Forces soldiers released from captivity shared their joy at returning home

The servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces, released from captivity as part of the first stage of the large exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine, spoke about their joy at returning to their homeland. Footage of them was published by Izvestia.

"Everyone is calling their loved ones now to inform them that they are alive," said Natalia Grafchikova, a correspondent for Izvestia.

Now the military is waiting for a long rehabilitation. Sergei Kholodkov, a soldier of the Russian Armed Forces, said that he did not know in advance about his return home.

"I only found out two days ago that I was on this list," he shared.

After landing, another Russian soldier called his mother to wish her a happy birthday and inform her that he had arrived in Moscow.

"We had a great flight. The mood is great. We are glad to be at home," said another fighter who returned to Russia.

Grafchikova noted that two IL-76 planes landed at an airfield near Moscow and 270 servicemen were able to inform their loved ones that they were alive today.

Good background rules: how a large-scale prisoner exchange affects the dialogue between Moscow and Kiev

At the first stage, 390 military personnel and civilians each return to Russia and Ukraine.

The Russian Federation and Ukraine agreed on a large-scale exchange of prisoners of war according to the "1000 for 1000" formula at talks in Istanbul on May 16.

On May 23, it became known that 270 Russian servicemen and 120 civilians had been returned from the territory controlled by the Kiev regime as part of the Russian-Ukrainian agreements.