By KYIV. May 6 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine has returned from Russian captivity 42 male and three female defenders of Azovstal, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak has said.
“Great news on this sunny day. We have returned 45 our people home. These are 42 male and three female defenders of Azovstal. All of them are National Guard fighters from the detachment that was created nine years ago on the Azov coast. Thirty-five privates and sergeants, ten officers,” he said on the Telegram channel on Saturday.
“Among them there are the fighters who got married during the defense of Mariupol, at Azovstal. There is also our fighter who had been in Russian captivity for two and half years before the full-scale invasion. He was captivated during the Shyrokyne operation. Later he was released from captivity and immediately returned to the detachment. He was captivated again at Azovstal and today he is coming back home,” Yermak said.
Meanwhile, the Russian media reported referring to the Russian Defense Ministry that three pilots were released from Ukrainian captivity on Saturday.
