Border guard Vitaliy Hirenko has finally returned to his hometown of Izmail after a lengthy captivity in Russian hands, becoming the last of the defenders of Zmiinyi Island. This was reported by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

Vitaliy spent nearly three and a half years in captivity, and today his greatest dream came true – he held his son Dmytryk for the first time. When Vitaliy was captured, his wife Alona was seven months pregnant, so he only saw his child now. Throughout these years, his loved ones waited for him – his wife, little son, and mother Vera, who moved to Izmail after losing their home in Kharkiv region. Comrades, friends, and residents of Izmail greeted Vitaliy with hugs, tears of joy, and heartfelt words of gratitude.