Released fighters of Azov regiment meet with their relatives in Turkey

YEVHEN KIZILOV — MONDAY, 3 OCTOBER 2022, 20:15

The Office of the President of Ukraine has organised a meeting of the Azov regiment fighters released from Russian captivity with their families in Turkey, where they are currently staying.

Source: Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, on Facebook

Quote: "During my visit to Turkey, I was able to meet with our guys from the Azov Regiment. They are there under the terms of exchange, and today Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, managed to arrange a meeting for them with their families.

A lot of emotions. The road to this moment was long and difficult. Eventually, they were able to hug."

Details: Zelenska said that she conveyed greetings and thanks from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and all Ukrainians to the fighters, as well as blessings from Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch, whom she met the day before in Istanbul.

Why this is important: When the full-scale war in Ukraine began in February 2022, the fighters of the Azov special force regiment became the core of the Ukrainian military force that valiantly defended Mariupol (in particular, the Azovstal steelworks) before the city eventually fell to the Russians. In May, the Ukrainian military command decided to save the lives of the remaining fighters who had continued to stand their ground at Azovstal, and the Ukrainian troops were captured by the invaders. The Azov fighters remained in captivity for months until a large-scale prisoner swap took place in September, when some of the Azov members returned to Ukraine, and Russia brought back dozens of its pilots plus Viktor Medvedchuk, the pro-Russian politician and businessman and former member of the Ukrainian Parliament. Many fighters of the Azov regiment are still in Russian captivity.

Background: 

• On 21 September, as part of a prisoner swap with the Russian occupiers, Ukraine secured the release of 215 Ukrainian defenders.
• Among the released prisoners are border guards, police officers, marines, National Guardsmen, soldiers of the Territorial Defence Forces, customs officers, and civilians. In addition, Denys "Redis" Prokopenko, Serhii "Volyna" Volynskyi, Sviatoslav Palamar, Denys Shleha and Oleh Khomenko [military leaders who took part in defending the Azovstal steel plant] were also released. Mykola "Frost" Kushch and Kostiantyn "Fox" Nikitenko, whom the occupiers had wanted to execute, were set free as well. 
• Five commanders of the Ukrainian units that defended Mariupol from the Russian forces are currently in Turkey under personal protection guarantees provided by President Recep Tayip Erdoğan. President Zelenskyy says they will remain in Turkey until Russia’s war against Ukraine is over.
• Russia got back Viktor Medvedchuk, who has family ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and 55 Russian soldiers.

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