A complete of 1,279 of the roughly 2,500 Azov fighters held in Russian captivity as POWs have been returned to Ukraine since being captured, together with 455 from the Azov Brigade, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Remedy of Prisoners of Warfare mentioned on Could 28.
The confirmed statistic, which incorporates troopers in a number of items who fought to defend the Azovstal Metal Plant in Mariupol, comes amid social media outcry criticizing Ukrainian authorities for failing to return sure captives, together with Azov fighters, throughout the conflict's largest 1,000-for-1,000 POW change, which concluded on Could 25.
"Behind every quantity is a human life, and no statistics can change family members for particular person households," Andrii Yusov, deputy head of the Coordination Headquarters informed Radio Liberty on Could 28.
Ukrainian society has rallied for captured Azov fighters who defended the Azovstal Metal Plant in Mariupol throughout the Russian siege of the port metropolis in 2022. The battle, one of the vital brutal of your complete conflict, is credited with shopping for time for the Ukrainian Armed Forces to arrange itself and obtain worldwide army assist towards Russia's invasion throughout the preliminary part of the conflict.
Azovstal defenders had been ordered to give up to the encircling Russian forces after almost two months of fixed bombardment of the besieged plant. Whereas lots of of those fighters have been launched since 2022, lots of extra stay in captivity.
Colonel Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Azov Nationwide Guard Brigade, described the 1,000-for-1,000 change as a "mockery" as a result of lack of fighters from the Azov Brigade, in a submit on Fb on Could 25.
"Ukraine is combating for each considered one of its residents. We’re working underneath extraordinarily troublesome situations amid the full-scale invasion, and the Mariupol garrison stays one of many prime priorities for repatriation," Yusov mentioned on Could 25 in response to to the frustration seen on social media.
Ukraine has lengthy advocated for an "all-for-all" change, however Russia has thus far rejected the proposal.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, following the mass change, pledged to "carry again each single considered one of our individuals from Russian captivity."
The three days of prisoner exchanges had been negotiated by Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul on Could sixteenth, throughout the first direct talks between the 2 nations in three years.
Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov mentioned on Could 28 that Moscow has proposed June 2 because the date for the following spherical of talks with Ukraine in Istanbul.
The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir
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