More than half of the "Azovstal" garrison has been released from Russian captivity. Almost a third of them are fighters of "Azov."
This was reported by Andriy Yusov, Deputy Head of the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, in an interview with Radio Liberty.
Andriy Yusov stated that a total of about 2,500 defenders from various units were withdrawn or evacuated from "Azovstal" in 2022. Of these, 1,279 military personnel have already been returned from Russian captivity.
"That is, more than half of the ’Azovstal’ garrison has been released from Russian captivity. Also, among them, 455 ’Azov’ fighters have been released during this period as part of exchanges coordinated by the Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. And these are good numbers compared to other units, although I understand that statistics do not replace the loved ones for specific families," he noted.
The representative of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine also emphasized that during the last exchange, Ukraine was able to free prisoners of war from those parts and units that were not previously included in the lists. This includes representatives from 46 Ukrainian units.
"This is a huge result because it’s not just saved lives and statistics, it is extremely important information about the conditions of detention, numbers, places of holding, and the personal stories of others," the official noted.
Andriy Yusov declined to comment on the statements of the "Azov" command regarding the absence of their fighters in the exchange lists, calling these statements "emotional."
"I will not comment on individual names and statements. But this is a very sensitive and painful topic for everyone. Therefore, any public comment on this issue should be restrained, thoughtful, and in the interests of the prisoners, taking into account their stay there and the protection of their rights in captivity and their quickest return to Ukraine," explained a representative of the Coordinating Headquarters.
Yusov also noted that the use of the name "Azov" brigade in the media complicates the issue of their return. After all, Russian special services, which are involved in exchange issues, use the topics of prisoners at their discretion to worsen the situation with the war in Ukraine.
Moreover, the commander of "Azov," Denys "Redys" Prokopenko, previously noted that within the last exchange format "1000 for 1000," there was not a single fighter from the brigade, calling it mockery. The colonel was also outraged by the fact that a traitor was returned, who had asked the guards for a knife to mock our fighters.
Then Andriy Yusov noted that Russia independently chose whom to give in exchange from among the captured Ukrainians. The Ukrainian side strives to return everyone currently held captive in the aggressor country, with the Mariupol garrison being one of the priority directions for return.