Ukrainian Soldiers Rescued from Russian Hospital After 3-Year Ordeal

On September 10, 2025, the commander of the Ukrainian navy, Oleksii Neizhpapa, announced the successful rescue of four Ukrainian soldiers who had been hidden in a hospital deep inside Russian-occupied territory for the past three years. The troops were wounded in battle in 2022 and had remained in the hospital, where "sympathetic doctors" helped shield them from the Russian secret services.

The rescue operation was initiated after a recently freed marine informed Neizhpapa that his twin brother had been severely wounded during fighting in eastern Ukraine in 2022. Upon receiving this information, Neizhpapa ordered a special evacuation mission, which uncovered three additional National Guard soldiers who had also been forced to stay in the hospital for over three years.

The daring rescue was carried out by the navy's elite Angels special forces unit, which has now saved a total of 88 people from Russian-occupied areas since its creation. Neizhpapa praised the bravery and determination of the Ukrainian soldiers, stating that "our boys survived where there seemed to be no chance" and that the successful operation "proved once again that nothing is impossible for Ukrainian soldiers."

The rescued troops have now been reunited with their families, with one emotional video showing a soldier waiting to be reunited with his twin brother, whom he had not seen for four years. Neizhpapa's announcement comes as part of a broader effort by Ukraine to secure the release of over 6,400 Ukrainians from Russian captivity since the start of the conflict in 2022.