Over 30 Azov soldiers returned from Russian captivity, says brigade commander
During the last exchange of prisoners of war, 34 soldiers of the 12th Azov Brigade of the National Guard, who participated in the defense of Mariupol in the spring of 2022, were returned home, announced brigade commander Denys Prokopenko.
According to him, these fighters defended Mariupol for 86 days and spent two and a half years in Russian captivity. Thanks to them, Ukraine withstood the first blow in the spring of 2022, Prokopenko stated.
"I welcome you to your homeland and thank you for your steadfastness and loyalty to the Motherland. The brigade personnel was eagerly waiting for each of you and did everything possible to replenish the exchange fund with captured Russians," said the officer.
Prokopenko also emphasized that currently more than 900 Azov fighters remain in Russian captivity, and therefore "the joint task is to return everyone ."
Exchange of prisoners of war
Overnight, Ukraine and Russia held the 58th exchange of prisoners of war. 95 Ukrainian defenders were returned home.
Freed soldiers defended Mariupol and Azovstal, Donetsk Oblast, Luhansk Oblast, Kharkiv Oblast, Kyiv Oblast, Chernihiv Oblast, Kherson Oblast. These are national guardsmen, military sailors, soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, border guards, and representatives of other units of the Security and Defense Forces, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said.
The peculiarity of this exchange is that many Ukrainians who received illegal sentences and were convicted are returning home: 28 defenders - to long terms, and 20 - to life imprisonment.
In particular, the human rights defender and serviceman Maksym Butkevych, who was illegally sentenced to 13 years in prison, returned home.
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