In a New Year’s prisoner swap, a puppy kidnapped by Russian military while Ukrainian troops were held captive has been returned.
In June, the American Pit Bull Terrier Adik was apparently given as a ‘trophy’ to Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya, by a Ukrainian servicewoman.
As part of a New Year’s prisoner swap in which 140 Ukrainian soldiers were released from Russian custody, Adik is now back in Ukraine.
Adik was captured at the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works alongside his owner and Mariupol’s defenders.
In June, the American Pit Bull Terrier Adik was abducted from a Ukrainian servicewoman at the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works.
Adik has now returned to Ukraine, as part of a New Year’s prisoner swap in which Russia released 140 Ukrainian soldiers.
Volunteer Yuriy Kovanov gave him to Kadyrov, who dubbed him Adidas after receiving him from the special services.
A tweet with an image of Adik stated, “Ukraine needs everyone! A pit bull terrier that defended Mariupol alongside our soldiers was liberated from Russian captivity!’
In the prisoner exchange, which took place at an undisclosed location, around 200 Ukrainian and Russian soldiers were freed.
The faces of the Ukrainian soldiers as they celebrated their independence were captured on film.
Today, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that Ukraine has released 82 Russian soldiers.
Adik was captured at the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works alongside his owner and Mariupol’s defenders.
A tweet with an image of Adik stated, “Ukraine needs everyone! A pit bull terrier that defended Mariupol alongside our men was liberated from Russian captivity!
Akin was given to the special services before volunteer Yuriy Kovanov presented him as a ‘trophy’ to Ramzan Kadyrov (left).
Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff to the Ukrainian president, stated that Russia has returned 140 Ukrainian service members.
According to the Telegram channel Yermak, 132 men and eight women among the released Ukrainian military had defended the Black Sea port city of Mariupol and Snake Island. Several of them had been injured during the conflict.
The two sides have exchanged hundreds of captured soldiers in several rounds of prisoner exchanges in recent months, despite a complete breakdown in broader diplomatic talks between Moscow and Kyiv.
Saturday, the Ukrainian military soldiers clad in military fatigues exited a succession of buses at an unannounced site.
The now-free troops embraced their loved ones upon their release as war prisoners today.
As they stepped off the buses and into freedom, the troops yelled “Glory to Ukraine!” and several of them lifted their fists in triumph.
As they were greeted by loved ones and Ukrainian officials, whose white tote bags looked to hold crucial supplies and papers, their faces lit up with joy.
They then posed for a photograph while holding a variety of Ukrainian flags. Again, they sang “Glory to Ukraine!” and applauded and cheered in unison.
»Adik, the dog kidnapped by Russian forces, was returned in a prisoner exchange«