Statement by Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov

Statement by Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov

Yesterday, on June 29, 144 servicemen were exchanged for 144.

It had been organised and held according to the direct order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, as the lives, the health and the liberation of our servicemen, the fighters of the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics who constitute the majority of the returned individuals, are the most important task.

Everything else is afterwards.

Almost all of the liberated individuals are wounded or gravely wounded. They are already receiving all the medical care they need.

The total number of captured or surrendered Ukrainian servicemen is more than 6,000 people.