Azov soldiers still largely excluded from POW exchanges
During the latest prisoner exchange on Feb. 5, which saw the return of 150 Ukrainians, no soldiers of the National Guard's 12th Special Purpose Brigade ‘Azov’ were released, according to brigade commander Denys Prokopenko.
At the same time, Prokopenko hailed the most recent POW swap, welcoming the return of Ukrainian soldiers.
“As a Ukrainian officer, I rejoice at the release of every Ukrainian from captivity,” he said.
“As the commander of the Azov Brigade, I cannot remain silent about the lives of my fighters.”
Prokopenko noted that the ordeal continues for the 848 Azov servicemembers, none of whom have been exchanged.
“For nearly 33 months, they have suffered inhumane conditions in Russian prisons, which operate under the worst tenets of Soviet gulags,” he added.
“They have been waiting for the promised priority exchanges for almost three years.”
Earlier on Feb. 5, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the return of 150 Ukrainian defenders from Russian captivity, some of whom had been imprisoned for more than two years.
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