Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk said that this important event took place on the basis of President Volodymyr Zelensky order.

«In exchange for 10 captured occupiers, we are releasing 10 of our soldiers – she said. – Also today we sent to russians 11 civilian russian sailors whom we rescued from the flooded ship near Odessa. As a result of this exchange, 19 Ukrainian civilian sailors are returning home from the rescued ship “Sapphire”, which was captured by the occupiers while trying to take our troops from the island of Snake. Under the terms of the exchange, the rescue ship itself will also be returned to Ukraine and sent to a port in Turkey».