More than 700 Azov fighters remain in Russian captivity
Relatives of soldiers from the Azov Brigade have appealed to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, asking him to help secure the return of Ukrainian defenders from Russian captivity. According to them, more than 700 Azov fighters remain in Russian captivity.
As reported by Ukrinform, the appeal was voiced by Natalia Kravtsova, the mother of a captive Azov soldier, during a joint press conference with Natalia Epifanova, head of the NGO “Voyatsky Vyzvil,” and Bohdan Okhrimenko, head of the Secretariat of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
“Volodymyr Oleksandrovych, be the person who will bring our loved ones, our Azov fighters, home alive from captivity. They did their job in Mariupol; they earned this freedom through suffering. Please, help us,” Kravtsova declared.
During her speech, she noted that Ukrainian authorities had managed to return some of the Azov personnel and command, but the process of their release had slowed down.
Kravtsova reminded the audience that the Azov fighters left Mariupol under an agreement between the Ukrainian and Russian authorities, as well as under the guarantees of the ICRC and the UN.
She emphasized that the return of the “Azov fighters” is a matter of state policy and national dignity, as well as an indicator of whether the state is capable of protecting those who stood up for it.
In turn, Natalia Epifanova, head of the NGO “Voyatsky Vyzvil,” noted that the “Azov” fighters—members of Military Unit 3057—face the most difficult situation regarding their return from Russian captivity.
“Over 700 fighters from the 12th Brigade of the National Guard ‘Azov’ have been in captivity since 2022. We appeal to the international community. Make every effort to help rescue those who are the hardest to save,” she said.
In her view, despite the complexity of the situation, government agencies must develop a separate negotiation track and a specific strategy for the return of “Azov” fighters from captivity.
The head of the Coordination Headquarters Secretariat, Okhrimenko, noted that the issue of returning the “Azov” fighters is raised during every exchange, and sometimes they are included in the exchange lists.
“Definitely, they are included in all possible exchange priorities—based on health status and length of captivity. We know that ‘Azov’ is recognized as a terrorist organization in the Russian Federation, and its fighters are being sentenced… Here, our work depends on the aura of heroism that the unit has earned, while the Russians want to destroy all our symbols. In this situation, we are doing what we can. Unfortunately, at present, we have results that satisfy neither us nor the families, but the work continues,” he said.
FormerAzov fighter Lakhno confirmed his detention following the incident with Andriy Yermak near the courthouse.
As a reminder, the lawyer for Andriy Yermak, the former head of the President’s Office, stated that NABU detectives had conducted three searches of his apartment.
It is also known that Yermak discussed the heads of NABU and the SAPO with a “fortune-teller,” although he later said he had no connection to fortune-tellers.
The High Anti-Corruption Court partially upheld the motion filed by the SAPO prosecutor and imposed a preventive measure on Andriy Yermak in the form of 60 days of pretrial detention.
