More than 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers surrendered to Russian forces in mid-May after fighting in Mariupol, Ukraine, from their base in the bunkers of the Azovstal steel plant for months.
Ukraine announced the largest exchange of prisoners of war since Russia launched its invasion in February, with 144 soldiers returned to Ukraine, including dozens of soldiers who defended against the Russian siege of Mariupol, a southern port city that became a symbol of Russian repression and Ukrainian defiance. The exchange has been shrouded in secrecy, according to Denis Pushilin, head of Russian proxy forces in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, said 144 Russian and proxy forces were returned home in exchange for the 144 Ukrainians. More than 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers surrendered in mid-May after holding out in bunkers beneath the sprawling Azovstal steel factory in Mariupol for months. Their surrender was carefully negotiated between Russia, Ukraine and international mediators and marked the end of one of the war's most brutal battles.
Over the course of the war, Ukraine and Russia have exchanged prisoners on several occasions - including 17 Ukrainians returned in an exchange announced earlier this week - the fate of the garrison from Mariupol has been one of the most sensitive issues of the war.
According to Kyrylo Budanov, chief of the defense intelligence of Ukraine, the exchange has a husband and wife, both soldiers with the Azov regiment. The husband was captured in Azovstal. His wife was captured in a different location earlier in the day. They have two children. The children were living without their parents, Mr. Budanov said. We insisted that the Russians give them over. The commanders of the Azov regiment and a Marine unit who fought at Azovstal have been moved to Moscow, where they are being held at the notorious Lefortovo Prison, according to Mr. Budanov. Among those being arrested are Lt. Col. Denys Prokopenko, the head of the Azov regiment at Azovstal, and Capt. Svyatoslav Palamar, his deputy, was along with Maj. Serhiy Volyna, commander of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade. The Russian authorities are what they say they are doing investigative activities, according to Mr. Budanov. They are undergoing recruitment, and we want to lead them to adopt the Russian position on these events. Some of the soldiers handed over to Kyiv were members of nationalist battalions and were in very bad condition, according to Mr. Pushilin, head of Russian proxy forces in the Donetsk region. He said they have severe injuries, some have amputated limbs and other complications. Some military bloggers in Russia sounded the exchange as a betrayal, and called it a betrayal.