More than 700 Azov fighters have been in captivity for the fifth year: Russia has convicted 250 and is systematically excluding them from prisoner-exchange lists
Of the roughly 1,400 who left Azovstal in May 2022, more than 500 have returned home; the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU) reports violations of the Geneva Convention and is expecting the next stages of the 1,000-for-1,000 format
More than 700 servicemen of the Azov unit have remained in Russian captivity for a fifth year; LIGA.net reports this, citing data from the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine.
Between 16 and 20 May 2022, about 1400 fighters of the unit left the territory of “Azovstal” in Mariupol.
Over four years, more than 500 “Azov” members have returned home, while about 250 servicemen in Russia were convicted of alleged “war crimes” or simply for serving in Azov, which the unit classifies as a violation of the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
According to the corps, the Russian side has been consistently removing Azov fighters from the exchange lists, continuing a campaign to demonize the unit; during the most recent large-scale exchanges, the number of released “Azov” members was negligible.
“We hope to see a larger number of Azov prisoners of war and Azovstal defenders in the next stages of the announced exchange of 1000 for 1000,” the corps’ communications department emphasized.
Previously we wrote:
- Almost four years in Russian captivity: Ukraine returned 205 defenders
- Zelensky “allowed” the parade in Moscow and confirmed a prisoner exchange and a three-day ceasefire
- An “all-for-all” exchange is possible, but Russia is deliberately delaying it!
- Return of heroes: 103 defenders of Ukraine freed from captivity after nearly 1,000 days of suffering
- UN reports confirm that Russia continues to torture and execute Ukrainian prisoners of war
