AZOV. Release from captivity
On September 22, 2022, a significant event took place — a prisoner exchange took place in Ankara, as a result of which the commanders of the Azov militia, who defended Mariupol, and other defenders of this hero city were freed from captivity. The liberated Azov commanders were to be in Turkey.
In total, 215 defenders of Ukraine were returned from Russian captivity, among them 118 National Guardsmen, including 108 fighters of the Azov OZSP. Nine employees of the National Police were also returned, and another nine soldiers of the State Border Guard Service.
Among the dismissed officers 124, privates and sergeants 89.
The Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Denis Monastyrsky wrote on his Facebook page about this:
Our heroes are liberated!
Overnight in Turkey, at the behest of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, the process of exchanging the heads of a separate special detachment “Azov” was completed.
He met our heroes together with Kirill Budanov, the head of the GUR of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Despite the late time and the general complexity of the operation, we talked, called the President, relatives.
Among those who were released were 108 fighters of the legendary Azov. In total, 215 heroes will return to their families!
Everyone will be provided with the necessary support and most importantly — the arms of their relatives and sincere gratitude from all citizens of Ukraine for their indestructibility, for their faith in Ukraine and its protection.
Our citizens are the greatest value of the state. Therefore, the task of freeing our captives will continue to be fulfilled.
Together we will surely win!
Glory to Ukraine!
Glory to the heroes!
Subsequently, on the same day, at a press conference in the Office of the President, Denis Monastyrsky will share the details of this exchange:
“The boys were very exhausted. We participated in the exchange in Ankara and the process dragged on for almost 24 hours. The procedure was very stressful. Negotiations continued every minute and there were clarifications. And indeed everything that happened was made possible thanks to the tectonic work of all involved. Foreigners who saw all this were very surprised by the scale of the exchange.”
As Kirill Budanov reported during the briefing, the living conditions of the commanders are good. He noted that this is not a prison, but a comfortable house. As for the return of the officers, he stressed that it would only take “some period of time.”
Answering journalists' questions, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs also clarified that the military (we are talking about Azov commanders: Denis Prokopenko, Svyatoslav Palamar, Denis Shlegu from the NGU) did not know where they were going. In fact, they did not understand where they were. The fighters were apparently in one place and were in solitary cells. They thought they were being taken to trials, which were constantly promised to them at interrogations by Russian investigators.
Other servicemen who arrived in Ukraine were now in medical institutions of Chernihiv region. Almost all of them needed medical and psychological rehabilitation. Some - saw their families, others met with them later.
As noted in the SBU, since the beginning of the full-scale war from the captivity of the Russian Federation, 802 citizens of Ukraine were returned to that time.
