The 2 sisters introduced with them a chocolate cake from the close by grocery retailer and put candles on it: two purple hearts, and a neon orange 2 and 5. Their brother had turned 25 in April, however he couldn’t correctly have a good time his birthday in a Russian jail.
They introduced alongside different issues, too: a carton of Winston cigarettes, lighters, a bottle of Coca-Cola, some candies. The issues that he appreciated, the issues he had not had for therefore lengthy. The sisters questioned: Would he nonetheless have his humorousness? Would he nonetheless be the identical?
After which they waited for his or her brother, Yurii Dobriev, like that they had been doing for the previous 18 months, alongside about 150 different individuals who have been additionally ready for his or her family members on Tuesday afternoon in a parking zone within the Chernihiv area of Ukraine, a pair hours north of Kyiv.
The buses have been coming, they have been advised, carrying 205 Ukrainian prisoners of conflict. They’d simply been exchanged with 205 Russian prisoners, the sixty fourth prisoner change of the conflict, one of many largest thus far.
“We’re very anxious — whether or not he’s actually there or not,” stated Anastasiia Dobrieva, 31, one in all Mr. Dobriev’s sisters. “We simply wish to see him as quickly as doable. It’s extremely emotional for us — we haven’t seen him for a 12 months and a half.”
Every individual within the parking zone had endured a gap being ripped right into a household. Every reunion would come solely after years of ache.
One launched prisoner would study that his father may nonetheless bear hug him like he was a bit of boy. One other already knew that his mom wouldn’t be there; she had died whereas he was in jail. There can be tears of disappointment and pleasure and the occasional epic coincidence. In one of many different current prisoner exchanges, for instance, a feminine soldier was reunited together with her son, a soldier who had additionally been taken prisoner. Neither knew the opposite was being held.
Greater than 4,550 Ukrainian prisoners had already been traded, a uncommon instance of cooperation between Ukraine and Russia since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. However many Ukrainians who’ve been launched have reported incidents of torture, of hunger, of being compelled to sing the Russian anthem on daily basis. In interviews, prisoners of conflict have stated they have been advised repeatedly that Ukraine didn’t exist anymore, that their nation had forgotten about them.
Hundreds of Ukrainian prisoners of conflict are nonetheless being held in Russian prisons; the Ukrainian authorities gained’t say precisely what number of.
On this Tuesday afternoon, many individuals within the parking zone got here on blind hope alone. Possibly their liked one can be on a bus. And if not, possibly one of many former prisoners would acknowledge an image. So that they held pictures in wrinkled plastic sleeves, usually marked with a reputation, a brigade and a date of disappearance: The brother who disappeared on the primary day of the conflict close to Henichesk. The son who was injured in Kherson on the second day.
“I’ve been ready for my son for therefore lengthy,” stated Yuliia Kohut, 55, holding his {photograph}. “Sure, we’ve waited and waited for him, for such a very long time.”
When the ultimate listing of prisoners returning on Tuesday’s buses was made public, although, Vadym Kohut was not on it. His mom began to sob.
Ms. Dobrieva and Inha Palamarchuk, the sisters with the cake, had been advised that their brother’s identify was on the listing. However they knew nothing was sure, not till Mr. Dobriev walked off that bus.
Mr. Dobriev, a soldier within the Nationwide Guard, had gone lacking in a forest within the Luhansk area of japanese Ukraine in late 2023. His sisters figured he knew one thing dangerous was going to occur. He wrote to them and to his fiancé, saying that he liked them, after which he went silent. They scoured social media posts and noticed a video of Mr. Dobriev in subzero temperatures, barely dressed, his arms tied. At the least, they thought, he was alive.
Over the months, the sisters talked to different launched prisoners who had seen Mr. Dobriev. The Worldwide Committee of the Purple Cross confirmed he was a prisoner. They realized his location from the final prisoner change: Returning troopers had acknowledged him. As of April 17, he was within the Sverdlovsk jail colony.
“The blokes advised us that in jail the meals is horrible — rotten fish, rotten cabbage,” Ms. Dobrieva stated.
On Monday, the sisters realized he was on the listing to be exchanged. They took an in a single day prepare from Odesa to Kyiv and drove to the assembly level. At 3:21 p.m. Ukrainian time, the federal government workplace that handles prisoner swaps despatched a textual content message to Ms. Palamarchuk: “Congratulations! Yurii Dobriev was launched from captivity,” it stated.
Two ambulances arrived first, each carrying a soldier who couldn’t stroll. They have been pulled out on stretchers. “Glory to Ukraine,” folks shouted. “Glory to heroes.” The boys waved, blearily.
Simply earlier than 5 p.m., police sirens might be heard within the distance, because the police escorted the 4 buses carrying the prisoners. The buses quickly pulled into the parking zone, and the boys poured out. Many have been already draped in Ukrainian flags, after being met by different authorities officers close to the border. Most appeared nearly equivalent. They’d been whittled away within the Russian prisons, their our bodies gaunt, their eyes hole, their heads shaved.
Serhiy Laptiev, 23, had been in captivity for 3 years. He stated he was handled decently within the final jail he was in. He came upon that his mom had died by way of a message from the Purple Cross, however he stayed alive by fascinated about his daughter, born simply earlier than he was taken prisoner.
“I had somebody to dwell for,” he stated. “I didn’t lose coronary heart.”
As he walked by way of the group, folks surrounded him. Had he seen this soldier? This one? More often than not, Mr. Laptiev shook his head, like when Ms. Kohut requested if he acknowledged the picture of her son.
However her buddy, Anzhelika Yatsyna, 52, was searching for her older brother, and this time, there was a lucky coincidence. Mr. Laptiev had shared a cell with Oleh Obodovskyi for the previous two years, in two prisons: Her brother was alive. She burst into tears, not the primary time that day. She grabbed his hand.
“I didn’t wish to let go, as a result of he felt like part of me and I used to be part of him,” Ms. Yatsyna stated. “I really feel like he handed on part of Oleh to me in that second.”
Then there was Mr. Dobriev, who tumbled off the bus into his sisters like a bit of brother. “All proper ladies, I’m house,” he stated. He couldn’t eat the cake or the candies — earlier than with the ability to eat such treats, he would have to be cleared by a health care provider. However nonetheless, the sisters lit the candles, so he may make a want and blow them out.
“What do I really feel? I’ve no phrases to elucidate,” he stated.
His sisters hugged him from either side whereas he held the cake. They kissed his cheeks and wouldn’t let go. Ms. Palamarchuk, 38, cried and stroked her little brother’s head. “Let’s go name them,” she stated. “Everybody’s ready for you.”
First, he known as his mom: “Sure, mother,” he stated. “I’m house.” Then he pulled out a pack of Winstons, lit one and laughed.
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