Ukraine’s 1st girl Olena Zelenska was among the initial to greet the heroic defenders of Mariupol as they have been reunited with their people in Turkey immediately after a prisoner swap secured their release from Russia.
There have been scenes of heartbreaking pleasure as 5 of the commanders that oversaw the 3 thirty day period defence of the port city ended up eventually in a position to embrace their enthusiastic youngsters and maintain their liked ones when all over again.
Among them were Azov commander Denis Prokopenko, his deputy Svyatoslav Palamar, Denys Shleha and Maritime commander Serhiy Volynsky, each acquiring withstood months of torture, neglect, malnutrition as the Russians reneged on the promises they made prior to the defenders’ surrender.
The four heroes ended up awarded the Hero of Ukraine title and the Buy of the Golden Star by Andriy Yermak, Head of the Presidential Administration, for holding out in the sprawling Azovstal metal plant on the Black Sea coast although less than regular bombardment by besieging Russian forces.
Element of the deal that the two warring sides struck to convey them home was that they should sit out the entirety of the war in Turkey in an undisclosed location under the auspices of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The joyous reunion with their anxiously waiting around people was some thing lots of feared would in no way transpire once more after they were final observed being bussed off to prisons likened to focus camps.
Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska shakes palms with the ecstatic daughter of Denys Shleha after the 5 Azovstal commanders are lastly reunited with their people after 19 months as prisoners of war
A smiling Serhii Volynskyi receives a kiss from his spouse and Ukraine’s to start with lady Olena Zelenska as he cradles his son in his hands following staying introduced from 19 months of Russian captivity as a prisoner of war
Denys Shleha and family pose with Ukraine’s very first girl Olena Zelenska and Andriy Yermak, Head of the Presidential Administration, following they are reunited
Azov commander Denis Prokopenko hugs his daughter with an expression of pure pleasure as he is finally reunited with his family members
Denys Shleha’s daughter tears throughout the room to soar into the arms of the father that she imagined she would by no means see once again
Mariupol defender Denys Shleha is greeted by his psychological wife and daughter who rush to him and hug him tightly as he enters the room
A lot of doubted they would be seen alive once again. Russian hardliners, who view Azov as the worst of the worst – Nazis and war criminals – experienced been calling for exhibit trials executions.
Much more than 2,000 defenders, a lot of in the Azov device, experienced marched out of the Azovstal steel plant’s twisted wreckage into Russian captivity in mid-May well, ending a virtually a few-thirty day period siege of the port city of Mariupol.
‘We agreed that the soldiers – equally rank and file and officers – would be able to live jointly, while by custom made they would have been interned individually,’ a Ukrainian intelligence officer told Ukrainska Pravda.
Our doctors have been to be capable to examine the soldiers, and our cooks, if there are any left, will be equipped to cook with what is out there. They were all to be held with each other.’
But it speedily became crystal clear that these situations would not be honoured, the officer claimed.
Originally, the group had been meant to be saved with each other at the Olenivka jail camp on Russian-controlled Ukrainian territory less than the terms of their surrender.
But the Russians immediately violated these promises and delivered the group off to different penal colonies on Russian soil, it is claimed.
This ultimately proved to be an not likely boon. The Olenivka jail camp was hit by a missile in late July – soon after the Azovstal defenders had been transferred out – that killed at minimum 40 Ukrainian prisoners of war.
An emotional Denys Shleha embraces his spouse, who would have feared that she would under no circumstances see her husband yet again
Sviatoslav Palamar sits with his spouse and young son, owning not witnessed them for months
Serhii Volynskyi receives a deep hug from his youthful son in a touching second
The 4 commanders had been each awarded the Hero of Ukraine title and the Order of the Golden Star by Andriy Yermak, Head of the Presidential Administration, for keeping out in the sprawling Azovstal steel plant on the Black Sea coastline although underneath consistent bombardment by besieging Russian forces
They survived 19 months in Russian custody, exactly where they ended up allegedly subjected to cruelty, malnutrition, torture and other privations
Denys Shleha, 1 of commanders of defenders of the Azovstal Iron and Metal Operates in Mariupol, poses with his medals with Zelensky’s appropriate hand man Andriy Yermak
Mykhailo Dianov, just one of the hero defenders of Mariupol, was substantially freed in a shock prisoner swap with Russia along with 205 other Ukrainians
Dmytro Kozatskyi, head of the Azov Regiment press services, photographer and Mariupol defender, is photographed demonstrating his emaciated overall body immediately after being held in Russian captivity considering the fact that May perhaps and freed not too long ago in a prisoner exchange
Among the prisoners launched is Viktor Medvedchuk, Putin’s traitorous proper-hand gentleman in Ukraine, with President Zelensky indicating he was exchanged for 200 Ukrainians
Just when it was feared that the promises were being shattered and the defenders would in no way be witnessed once more, a stunning flurry of news emerged in late September of an unanticipated jail swap.
Clandestine negotiations for their independence experienced been likely on behind the scenes for some time, involving Ukrainian spies and Russian FSB, intermediaries, entire world leaders and even the Pope.
In full, Russia agreed to give up 215 Ukrainian prisoners – the 5 Azov commanders, 10 overseas prisoners including Britons Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin, and 200 many others – in return for just 56 of their have.
Among the prisoners launched is Viktor Medvedchuk, Putin’s treasonous suitable-hand guy in Ukraine, with President Zelensky indicating he was exchanged for 200 Ukrainians.
The US claimed, soon right before Putin introduced his astonishing complete-scale invasion of his Slavic neighbour, that Ukrainian-citizen Medvedchuk experienced been tapped by the Kremlin to lead a puppet government in a postwar regime.
Serhii Volynskyi hugs his wife and son tightly on their reunion soon after 19 months in Russian captivity
Denys Shleha is surrounded by his overjoyed relatives after surviving Russian captivity and coming back to them in a single piece
Father and daughter beam with joy as Denis Prokopenko is reunited with his loved ones right after paying out three months under Russian siege in Mariupol
A group image shows the 5 war heroes with their families, together with Olena Zelenska and Andriy Yermak
It was a thing that mainly obviously marked him out as a traitor right after many years of main the professional-Moscow Ukrainian OPZZh [Opposition Platform – For Life] social gathering, which acted as a Trojan horse for Putin within Ukrainian politics.
Medvedchuk was at last detained in April, making an attempt to escape capture disguised as a Ukrainian serviceman.
His swap – for six times as many persons – was ultimate evidence that he experienced been an agent of Putin’s all along.
Zelensky certain his folks that investing this kind of a significant traitor was a cost worthy of paying out, and that Medvedchuk experienced already provided spies with a lot of facts.
And numerous would think about that it was a great price to pay back for rescuing the Azovstal defenders from the 19 weeks of struggling they endured.
