KYIV – Ukraine will continue to implement a strategy to return people illegally detained in the temporarily occupied territories and in Russia until it releases all its citizens, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The third stage of the mutual release of detained persons within the “all for all” format has now been completed. Ukraine has returned 20 of its citizens held captive in the temporarily occupied territories.

“The first stage was when 35 people were returned: political prisoners and our sailors. That was the first part. The second exchange was after the Normandy four arrangements – 76 people were released. We are returning 20 people now,” Mr. Zelenskyy said.