Five commanders of Azov banned in Russia returned from Turkey to Ukraine
Ukrainian media report that the commanders of the Azov unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (included in the Russian Federation in the lists of terrorist, extremist and prohibited) returned from Turkey. They ended up in Istanbul in 2022, after the storming of the Azovstal plant. in Mariupol and its transfer to the control of the RF Armed Forces. Initially, it was reported that the commanders of «Azov» were taken to Moscow, then they and over 200 more Ukrainian servicemen were exchanged for captured Russian soldiers and, as it became known later, Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk. It was reported that under the terms of the exchange, the Azov people had to stay in Turkey.
It is reported that Denis Prokopenko, Svyatoslav Palamar (Kalina), Sergey Volynsky (Volyn), Oleg Khomenko and Denis Shlega have returned to Ukraine.
According to the published footage, at the Turkish airport, the commanders of "Azov" President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky personally waited, who had previously reported on his arrival in Istanbul and meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew, as well as on negotiations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. On the airfield, he, together with the head of his office, Andrey Yermak, greeted the arrivals, then, together with them, boarded the Czech Air Force aircraft.