Ukrainian commanders freed from Russian captivity now in Turkey - Yermak

Five Ukrainian commanders released from Russian captivity, including the commander of the Azov regiment, Denys Prokopenko, his deputy, Sviatoslav Palamar, and the commander of the 36th Marine Brigade, Serhii Volynskyi, are currently in Turkey under the personal protection of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Andriy Yermak, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said this at a meeting aired during a national telethon, Ukrinform reports.

"According to the agreements reached earlier with Turkish President Erdogan, five of our commanders are in Turkey under his personal protection and security guarantees," Yermak said.

He also noted that 215 Ukrainian defenders had been released from Russian captivity on Wednesday. It was also possible to return ten foreigners who defended Ukrainian land from the Russian army.

Late on September 21, it emerged that Kyiv had exchanged prisoners of war with the Russian side. Among them are the commander of the Azov Regiment, Denys Prokopenko, his deputy Sviatoslav Palamar, the commander of the 36th Marine Brigade, Serhii Volynskyi, a senior sergeant of the 36th Marine Brigade, Mykhailo Dianov, a press officer of the Azov Regiment, Dmytro Kozatskyi, head of the Mariupol patrol police Mykhailo Vershynin, paramedic Kateryna Polishchuk and others.

Also on Wednesday, an official representative of Saudi Arabia announced that an agreement had been reached with Russia in talks regarding the release of foreign nationals from Russian captivity. This made it possible to return ten prisoners of war captured during hostilities in Ukraine, among them citizens of the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Croatia and Morocco.