Exchange of service members from Azovstal can be discussed only after court's decision, says Russian Foreign Ministry

The Russian Foreign Ministry says it is too early to speak about the exchange of Ukrainian service members from Azovstal.

"All things will be considered after those who have been taken prisoners are convicted and sentenced. Then some other steps may be considered. Before that, it is too early to talk about the exchange," said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko to RIA Novosti, commenting on the exchange of Mariupol defenders for Russian service members, including Vadim Shishimarin, the first Russian soldier sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering a civilian.

On May 25, Ukrainian Prosecutor's Office said it exclude the possibility of exchanging 21-year-old Russian sergeant Vadim Shishimarin, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering a Sumy resident. The wife of the deceased said that she didn't mind exchanging Shishimarin for Mariupol defenders.

Earlier, the Russian ministry of justice said that the Russian court would consider the case of recognizing the Azov Regiment as a terrorist organization on May 26. In addition, the investigative committee of Russia claimed it "will interrogate surrendered militants from Azovstal as part of the investigation into criminal cases of crimes committed by the Ukrainian regime against the civilian population of Donbas."

At the same time, Ukraine plans to return the Mariupol defenders within the next prisoner exchange.

President Volodymyr Zelensky also called the issue of the exchange of prisoners of war one of the main humanitarian problems and called on the world to put pressure on Russia.

It should be noted that the Russian media write only about the possible exchange of fighters of a regiment of the National Guard "Azov." At the same time, other Ukrainian defenders, including border guards, marines, and police, also defended Azovstal.

Background

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Ukraine and Russia have held a number of exchanges of prisoners of war, bringing back to Ukraine hundreds of people. An operation is underway to exchange Mariupol defenders, who left the territory of the Azovstal steelworks after several months of confrontation with the Russian troops in the besieged city, where the occupiers broke through on May 4.

Thanks to the Azovstal defenders, Ukraine has been given critical time to build up reserves, regroup and receive assistance from partners. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Ukrainian top military command had ordered the commanders of the units at Azovstal to save the lives of the personnel.

On May 16, 53 seriously wounded Ukrainian service members were evacuated from the plant to the temporarily occupied Novoazovsk, and another 211 service members were evacuated through a humanitarian corridor to the temporarily occupied Olenivka. On May 17, a Reuters eyewitness reported that at least seven other buses carrying Ukrainian service members had left Azovstal.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense stated that the rescued Ukrainian service members will be exchanged for Russian prisoners of war. At the same time, they emphasize that the rescue operation is underway, so its details are not disclosed.

The UK intelligence estimated that approx. 1,700 Ukrainian servicemen left Azovstal, but Ukrainian authorities have not commented on this data yet.