Relief for some, anguish for others as Ukrainians welcome home prisoners of war

CHERNIHIV, Ukraine — For Olga Serhichuk, the show of dozens of her countrymen returning location from brutal Russian captivity is bittersweet.

Like hundreds of hopeless others, she had travel to a infirmary successful Chernihiv, northbound of Kyiv, not lone to invited the shaved, beaten-up Ukrainian prisoners of war who were coming location arsenic part of a captive speech with Russia.

Serhichuk, who turns 39 connected Friday, was besides hoping that 1 of the liberated men had seen oregon heard quality of her husband, Serhiy, 42, with whom she has a son, 5, astatine home.

“I’m blessed for those who came back. I’m besides precise saddened that my hubby is inactive retired determination somewhere,” she told NBC News done tears Tuesday while, similar astir radical here, holding a ample photograph of her husband, who she past heard from successful November erstwhile helium called to accidental his 36th Marine Brigade was headed to the embattled bluish metropolis of Sumy.

“I’m waiting and hoping that he’ll beryllium backmost location soon,” she said. “Even if he’s sick, it matters not. I privation him to beryllium alive.”

This was the latest circular of captive exchanges that emerged from diplomatic talks betwixt Ukraine and Russia successful Turkey connected June 2. Negotiations whitethorn person yielded small advancement toward ending the warfare itself — the attritional trench warfare and Moscow’s relentless bombardment stay arsenic fierce arsenic ever — but an statement to each swap astatine slightest 1,200 prisoners of war and the bodies of thousands of dormant fighters provided a metallic lining.

Tuesday was the 2nd consecutive time connected which Ukrainian POWs were reunited with their families. The men who got disconnected buses and retired of ambulances were successful atrocious shape: their heads shaved, faces gaunt and bodies showing signs of carnal abuse. Many reported being beaten by their captors.

“I was successful 3 prisons,” said Oleksandr Kulakov, 1 of the freed soldiers successful Chernihiv. “The cognition successful the past situation was the worst. If idiosyncratic had nary unbroken bones, helium would get breached bones successful there.”

His Russian captors were “mainly breaking people’s ribs,” helium said “They didn’t interruption arms oregon legs, chiefly ribs.”

These accounts travel research by Amnesty International and others that documents alleged warfare crimes by President Vladimir Putin’s authorities during a grinding conflict that has go Europe’s bloodiest struggle since World War II.

Amnesty says the fig of detainees successful Russia isn’t known but apt numbers successful the thousands.

The latest credible estimation of killed and wounded soldiers connected some sides, by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington deliberation tank, this month, said determination person been astir 1.4 million, astir 2 thirds of them Russian.

The hopeless hunt for missing soldiers is simply a stark reminder of the often unseen terms of warfare felt by families connected some sides of the beforehand line.

Ludmyla Yevhenivna is looking for her 2 sons, who were drafted into the Ukrainian service past autumn and went missing successful January. She hasn't heard from her older son, Sergiy, 50, since helium disappeared portion warring successful the Kursk region.

Yevhenivna’s younger son, Vladyslav, 39, was captured by Russia adjacent Kursk. She shared 3 videos published connected Russian accounts showing her lad successful subject azygous answering questions astir his service.

“My family, my mom, I miss you a lot,” helium said, his look to the camera inactive bringing tears to his mother’s eyes.

“I don’t privation anyone to spell done this.” Ludmylla said. “I don’t privation an force to spell done each that.”

There is anticipation among the yearning tragedy, however.

Tanya ​​Shestak could not incorporate her glee erstwhile 1 of the soldiers recognized a representation of her father, Vova Shestak, who went missing 10 months agone successful the eastbound metropolis of Pokrovsk.

“Today, a feline recognized his photo,” she said, wearing a wide smile. “Two days ago, helium saw him successful situation successful Kalyniv oregon Kalyshiv. And helium said that he’s live and he’s a pugnacious seed to crack.”

The families of Ukrainian detainees person had to trust connected specified hearsay astir their loved ones. In November 2022, the aboriginal months of the war, United Nations investigators said Ukraine granted its teams entree to the prisoners it had detained, whereas Russia refused.

Ukrainians said they were subjected to beatings, electrical shocks and canine attacks by Russian authorities, not lone to extract accusation but to intimidate and humiliate them. Russian prisoners besides reported being tortured and severely treated, adjacent witnessing summary executions, mostly erstwhile they were archetypal captured oregon being transported to different location.

Ukraine has been guarded astir the fig of prisoners exchanged truthful far, citing the request to support a adjacent clasp connected details during the delicate exchanges.

“The speech process is expected to instrumentality much than a azygous day,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said successful his nightly code Monday. “The details of the process are rather sensitive.”

Ukraine releases scant accusation astir which soldiers are coming home. Hence the country successful Chernihiv, wherever families are waiting connected the off-chance that their loved ones whitethorn beryllium successful this lottery draw.

“I privation to cognize the information astir my child,” said Tamila, 50, whose lone son, Mykola, 32, went missing adjacent Bakhmut successful October. “If helium died, I conscionable privation to cognize that.”

Richard Engel, Gabe Joselow and Victor Sema reported from Chernihiv, and Alexander Smith from London.