Emotional reunions in Ukraine as hundreds of prisoners of war return: ‘His birthday will be at home’

Scenes of joy and celebration broke out outside a hospital in Ukraine as families reunited with prisoners of war returning home.

On Wednesday (March 19), Russia and Ukraine swapped 175 prisoners in one of the largest exchanges of the war, following Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call for an “all-for-all” exchange.

Footage from Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv region showed the prisoners, frail and visibly exhausted, as they greeted their loved ones.

Among them was 28-year-old Aliona Skuibida, who brought balloons and a cake to celebrate her fiancé’s return and his 27th birthday, which had been the day before.

“I did a post on social media in which I wrote to him, 'I'm sorry it's already your fourth birthday in captivity,' but now his fourth birthday will be at home,” she said.