Tears of Joy: How Ukraine Greeted Political Prisoners on Return From Russia

On September 7, Ukrainian political prisoners Oleg Sentsov, Oleksandr Kolchenko, Volodymyr Balukh and others, as well as Ukrainian sailors captured by Russia near the Kerch Strait, returned home as a result of a large exchange of prisoners. At the Boryspil airport, the Ukrainians were met by relatives, journalists and the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Tears, joy, embraces from loved ones, and faces tired from captivity – all in this Hromadske photo report.

Bogdan Nebylitsa, senior lieutenant, commander of the Nikopol boat. Photo: Andriy Novikov / hromadske

Bogdan Nebylitsa, senior lieutenant, commander of the Nikopol boat. Photo: Andriy Novikov / Hromadske

Volodymyr Varymez, senior sailor at the Yany Kapu boat. Photo: Andriy Novikov / Hromadske

Relatives greet Ukrainian political prisoners and prisoners of war in Kyiv, Ukraine on September 7, 2019. Photo: Andriy Novikov / Hromadske

Relatives greet Ukrainian political prisoners and prisoners of war in Kyiv, Ukraine on September 7, 2019. Photo: Andriy Novikov / Hromadske

SBU representative Andriy Drach arrives in Kyiv, Ukraine on September 7, 2019. Photo: Andriy Novikov / Hromadske

Oleh Melnychuk, senior lieutenant. Photo: Andriy Novikov / Hromadske

Crimean Tatar activist Edem Bekirov arrives in Kyiv, Ukraine on September 7, 2019. Photo: Andriy Novikov / Hromadske

Crimean activist Volodymyr Balukh arrives in Kyiv, Ukraine on September 7, 2019. Photo: Andriy Novikov / Hromadske

Journalist and historian Stanislav Klykh arrives in Kyiv, Ukraine on September 7, 2019. Photo: Andriy Novikov / Hromadske

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy greets Ukrainian sailors and political prisoners who were just released from Russian captivity, at the Boryspil International Airport near Kyiv, Ukraine on September 7, 2019. Photo: Andriy Novikov / Hromadske

Journalist and historian Stanislav Klykh arrives in Kyiv, Ukraine on September 7, 2019. Photo: Andriy Novikov / Hromadske

Pavlo Gryb arrives in Kyiv, Ukraine on September 7, 2019. Photo: Andriy Novikov / Hromadske

Andriy Oprysko, senior sailor. Photo: Andriy Novikov / Hromadske

Volodymyr Tereshchenko, senior sailor. Photo: Andriy Novikov / Hromadske

Crimea's pro-Ukrainian activist Oleksandr Kolchenko arrives in Kyiv, Ukraine on September 7, 2019. Photo: Andriy Novikov / Hromadske

Crimean filmmaker Oleg Sentsov and his daughter Alina in Kyiv, Ukraine on September 7, 2019. Photo: Bohdan Kutiepov / Hromadske

Crimean filmmaker Oleg Sentsov and his daughter Alina in Kyiv, Ukraine on September 7, 2019. Photo: Bohdan Kutiepov / Hromadske

Crimean filmmaker Oleg Sentsov in Kyiv, Ukraine on September 7, 2019. Photo: Bohdan Kutiepov / Hromadske