In a significant development that brings hope to Ukraine, ten Ukrainian civilians who were held captive by Russia for years have finally been freed, thanks to the mediation efforts of the Vatican. The prisoners arrived in Kyiv overnight on Saturday, as confirmed by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Some of the released prisoners had been captured even before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, highlighting the long periods of captivity they endured. The Pope had previously mentioned the involvement of the Holy See in past prisoner swaps during the ongoing Ukraine war.

Among those freed was Nariman Dzhelyal, the deputy head of the Mejlis – a representative body of Crimean Tatars that had been forced to relocate to Kyiv after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. Dzhelyal had been taken from Crimea a year before the outbreak of the war. Upon their arrival, he was warmly embraced by Refat Chubarov, the chief of Mejlis, and Mustafa Dzhemilev, a Crimean Tatar leader, after nearly three years of captivity.

Dzhelyal acknowledged that numerous Ukrainians still remain in captivity, emphasizing the urgency to secure their release due to the troubling physical and psychological conditions they face. The former prisoners, wrapped in blue and yellow flags representing Ukrainian unity, were joyously reunited with their families in Kyiv. They also made video calls to those who couldn't be present, marking an emotional moment after enduring years of separation.

One of the released prisoners, art historian Olena Pekh, spoke to her daughter Isabella Pekh through a video call, expressing her desire to be reunited soon and apologizing for their prolonged separation. Isabella Pekh had tirelessly advocated for her mother's release at international conferences and sought help from ambassadors for six long years. Olena Pekh described her time in captivity as a "six years of hell" but found solace in the love and support of her homeland and her daughter.

Furthermore, it was revealed that two Ukrainian Greek Catholic priests were also among the newly freed individuals. One of them, Bohdan Heleta, had been detained in 2022 in his church located in the occupied city of Berdiansk in the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia. Reflecting on their release, Heleta emphasized the urgent need for concrete assistance to the many men and women who still remain imprisoned.

In response to these developments, Pope Francis called for the release of all prisoners involved in the Ukraine war and expressed his gratitude for the liberation of the two priests. President Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to everyone involved in the effort to secure the prisoners' release, particularly acknowledging the Holy See's instrumental role in bringing them home.

According to Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, a total of 3,310 Ukrainians have been released from Russian captivity since the full-scale invasion began. Despite this progress, there are still many thousands, encompassing both civilian and military personnel, who are awaiting their freedom.

The release of these ten prisoners serves as a glimmer of hope amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, renewing efforts to secure the release of all remaining captives, and offers solace to their loved ones who have anxiously awaited their return.