Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has returned from Turkey, where he met with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, and brought back five former commanders of Ukraine’s garrison in Mariupol. The release of the commanders has immediately drawn criticism from Russia, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accusing Turkey of violating the terms of the prisoner exchange and failing to inform Moscow.
The commanders, who are seen as heroes in Ukraine, led the defense of Mariupol during the Russian invasion. The city endured heavy casualties and significant destruction during a three-month siege by Russian forces. The Ukrainian defenders held out in tunnels and bunkers under the Azovstal steel plant until they were eventually ordered to surrender by Kyiv in May of last year.
In September, Moscow released some of the commanders in a prisoner exchange facilitated by Turkey. The terms of the exchange stipulated that the commanders were to remain in Turkey until the end of the conflict.
President Zelenskyy announced the return of the commanders on the Telegram messaging app, stating that they would finally be reunited with their families. However, Russia’s Peskov claimed that they were not informed about the release and emphasized that the agreement required the commanders to stay in Turkey until the end of the conflict.
Peskov suggested that the release was a result of pressure from Turkey’s NATO allies ahead of the upcoming NATO summit, where Ukraine hopes to receive positive signals regarding its future membership.
President Zelenskyy did not provide an explanation for why the commanders were allowed to return home at this time. There has been no immediate response from Turkey’s Directorate of Communications.
The news of the commanders’ return has been celebrated by many Ukrainians on social media, with messages of congratulations and support for the returning heroes.
