Among the 115 released soldiers there was not one citizen of Azov – Prokopenko

Among the 115 Ukrainian soldiers freed from Russian captivity on Saturday, August 24, not a single citizen of Azov. This was stated by the commander of the Azov National Guard brigade Denis Prokopenko on Facebook.

According to him, the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin needs to reduce the pressure within the Russian Federation and save face by returning the conscripts captured in the Kursk region. And the Ukrainian side “had to, according to Soviet traditions, organize a media ‘victory’ for the holiday.”

“There is no place in this formula for the arrested residents of Azov who have been waiting for more than two years for the promised exchange despite the fact that in Ukraine there is a huge demand from society for the return of what was done in 2022 in Mariupol .everyone so that Ukraine can continue to exist today celebrated Independence Day, and not “National Unity Day,” Prokopenko said.

He noted that during this exchange, the Ukrainian negotiating team gained enormous leverage by speaking from a position of strength.

“They did not take advantage of all this. In today’s exchange, once again, there is not one citizen of Azov. An important opportunity and time has been lost,” said Prokopenko.

Let’s remember that Ukraine and Russia exchanged prisoners on August 24. 115 Ukrainian defenders were released from Russian captivity.

As stated in the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners, military sailors and three border guards were released, as well as 82 defenders of Mariupol, including defenders of Azovstal, as well as personnel of military that defended the regions of Kyiv, Donetsk, Kherson region and Lugansk Region. The exchange took place through the mediation of the United Arab Emirates.