Border guard Pavel Pikovets was among 144 defenders of Mariupol released from Russian captivity. The State Border Service published a poignant video of his meeting with his wife after his return from captivity.

The family did not see each other for several months.. During this time, Pavel survived the siege of Mariupol, wounded and captured. His daughter is also waiting for him at home..

A man who was taken prisoner by Russia along with other defenders of Azovstal said that he was looking forward to being released. " There was always hope, I knew that I needed to return, I knew for whom, wife, daughter. That they are waiting for me and I need to return,” said Pavel Pikovets.

He also added that the Russians had a special attitude towards those prisoners who were at the Azovstal plant in Mariupol.. " They looked at us as warriors,"

As the man added, he was wounded on April 15 and was taken to the hospital in the Azovstal bomb shelter.. He left the territory of the plant on May 17, when the evacuation of Ukrainian soldiers was organized..

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As President Volodymyr Zelensky reported, more than 2,500 Ukrainian fighters from Azovstal are in Russian captivity, who were taken out of the city on the condition of their further exchange with the Ukrainian side.. It was also previously reported that at least 177 civilians surrendered along with the military during a special operation to evacuate the plant..

In addition, the Russians captured hundreds of medics and wounded civilians whom they provided medical care to..