Ukraine's Azov Brigade soldiers left out of large-scale prisoner swap, its commander says
Colonel Denys "Redis" Prokopenko, Commander of the Azov National Guard Brigade, has stated that not a single Azov fighter was included in the recent three-day prisoner exchange with Russia. He said he does not believe the Ukrainian authorities are interested in bringing them back.
Source: Prokopenko on Facebook
Quote from Prokopenko: "Not a single Azov fighter. Among the 1,000 Ukrainian prisoners of war exchanged today, there is not a single member of Azov. Yet some scumbag who asked prison guards for a knife to butcher our soldiers was swapped.
This feels like a mockery of those who are in their fourth year of enduring inhumane conditions in Russian captivity, in the worst conditions. It's a mockery of their families, loved ones and brothers-in-arms. It's a mockery of those who were given guarantees and who have every right to be prioritised for swaps, as they were taken prisoner not of their own volition but [because they surrendered] by order of the high command.
Just days ago, Ukraine marked the third anniversary of the Mariupol garrison's withdrawal from Azovstal, hoping that the thousand-for-thousand swap would include fighters from the 12th Azov Brigade. Those expectations were not met."
Details: Prokopenko believes that Russia's reluctance to release Azov fighters is not the only reason why they have been excluded from prisoner exchanges.
He argues that Ukraine should offer Russia individuals of greater significance than "some conscript from Omsk" to secure the release of Azov fighters.
Quote from Prokopenko: "Ukraine is teeming with Russian agents – all the special services know this and need only an order to act.
I believe that priests from the [Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the] Moscow Patriarchate, who openly work for Russian intelligence, would be of greater interest to Russia than the ordinary soldiers they're using to capture the lands of Ukraine...
...There are options; we just need to adapt and explore new approaches and configurations. Because the fact that not a single Azov fighter was among the thousand in this swap is a disgrace for our entire nation.
I do not believe the authorities are committed to bringing back Azov fighters, because the same individuals are now in their fourth year of handling exchanges ineffectively."
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