Zelenskyy Names Number Of Ukrainian Military Captured At Azovstal

After the completion of the defense of Azovstal, 2,500 fighters got into Russian captivity. Now the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense is engaged in their release.

This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The President is confident that Ukrainian fighters are not tortured in captivity, because they have become "public prisoners," and it is unprofitable for the Russian side to carry out such actions.

Zelenskyy explained an increased attention to the defenders of Azovstal from the DPR group with a desire of PR. That is why they make loud statements regarding the future fate of the prisoners. One shouldn't take them seriously.

Recall that before that, the Ukrainian authorities did not voice the number of captured Ukrainian soldiers from Azovstal.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on May 20 it became known that the Azov Regiment stopped the defense of Mariupol in order to preserve the lives of its soldiers.

Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that the defenders of Mariupol complied with the order and restrained the Russian invaders for almost 2 months, and now they are fulfilling the order to save their lives.

It is planned to exchange the Ukrainian military for captured Russian soldiers. The Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for the Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk said that the exchange will take place after the condition of the wounded improves.

The DPR group claims that the Ukrainian military is being interrogated in a pre-trial detention center. In addition, they insist on an "international tribunal" over the prisoners.