Nariman Dzhelyal

Ten Ukrainian civilians held prisoner for years by Russia arrived in Kyiv overnight Saturday after the mediation of the Vatican, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

They were freed Friday. Some had been captured years before Russia's full-scale invasion . The pope has said the Holy See has been involved in past prisoner swaps during the Ukraine war.

Although in March it voted for the United Nations General Assembly resolution demanding an end to Russian aggression, Turkey did not join the Western sanctions.
At the same time, however, it blocked the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles for the passage of Russian and other military ships into the Black Sea.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has sought his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's help for the release of Ukrainian citizens detained by Russia, the Ukrainian foreign minister said on Sep. 30. 

Ankara is closely following the detention of the Crimean Tatar National Assembly's deputy chairman by Russian forces with "concern," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Sept. 4.

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