The Russian Defense Ministry announced the return of 40 Russian servicemen to their homeland from Ukrainian captivity.
"On April 26, as a result of the negotiation process, 40 Russian servicemen were returned from the territory controlled by the Kyiv regime, who were in mortal danger in captivity," the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry added that the liberated military will be delivered to Moscow by aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces, they will undergo treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions of the defense department.
It is also noted that all those released are provided with medical and psychological assistance.
It should be noted that on April 10, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation also announced the return to Russia of 106 servicemen who were in mortal danger.
Prior to that, on March 7, the Russian Defense Ministry said that 90 Russians had returned home. On February 16, 101 servicemen were returned, and on February 4, another 63 servicemen were returned. On January 8, it was also said about the return of 50 Russian soldiers to their homeland.
Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the Russian side is doing everything possible to ensure that the servicemen captured by Ukraine return home.
Thus, he commented on the statement of the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, that Moscow and Kiev are allegedly negotiating the exchange of prisoners in the "all for all" format.
"I want to say only one thing. We, of course, are doing our best to ensure that our people, our fighters, our compatriots return home, "RIA Novosti quoted Ryabkov as saying.
Investigation into the murder of Russian prisoners of war
Meanwhile, the Investigative Committee announced its intention to investigate the crimes of French mercenaries against Russian prisoners of war.
According to investigators, the mercenaries participated in hostilities on the side of Ukraine in the ranks of the nationalist Azov regiment * banned in Russia and the 92nd brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"One of them published a photo of the execution of three Russian prisoners who were shot at point-blank range," the UK said.
As stressed in the department, investigators will establish all the circumstances of the incident to bring to justice those involved in the crime.
The strike of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on their military, who laid down their arms
In early April, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation said that the Ukrainian military deliberately launched artillery strikes on their own colleagues who wished to lay down their arms in the Avdiivka area.
Also on the russian.rt.com, Putin said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed 14 of their soldiers who surrendered
"During the battle, the commander of the unit of the 53rd mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which was at the stronghold, appealed to the Russian command via an open radio communication channel, declaring the voluntary addition of weapons by his unit of 14 people and the desire to surrender," the report on the progress of the NWO dated April 6 said.
According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, hostilities were suspended for the safe exit of the surrendered Ukrainian military, at night the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were placed in a dugout until the morning, in order to then take them to the rear.
"At night, Ukrainian artillery purposefully opened heavy fire on the dugout, where the surrendered Ukrainian servicemen were. About 300 large-caliber shells were fired," the defense ministry said.
Vladimir Putin also commented on these events, noting that the Ukrainian military "do not spare their own" and behave "extremely cynical and cruel."
* "Azov" - the organization was recognized as terrorist by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated 02.08.2022.