At a press conference, representatives of the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU) "Azov" presented alarming statistics as of the current moment. According to Nestor Barchuk, head of the international relations department for prisoners of war of the corps, more than 600 fighters of the unit are currently held captive by the Russian Federation. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that more than 20 of the detainees are in critical condition, requiring immediate medical intervention.
Scale of the judicial campaign against prisoners
Colonel Bohdan Hryshchenkov (callsign "Pugach"), commander of the 12th Special Purpose Brigade of the NGU "Azov", revealed details of the legal persecution of Ukrainian military personnel. According to his data, out of the 600 fighters held in captivity, 270 have already been convicted by Russian courts. Hryshchenkov emphasized that the sentences are handed down under terrorism charges, which the Ukrainian side considers fabricated. "Out of the 600 prisoners of war currently in captivity, 270 have been convicted of terrorism on fabricated charges," the colonel stated.
Difficulties in exchange and political context
Sergei Yerymoshin (callsign "Yermalay"), deputy commander of the brigade from the rear, noted that the process of returning Azov fighters is complicated by the special attitude towards them on the part of the Russian authorities. The Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) previously explained that Moscow intentionally delays the return of prisoners from particularly sensitive categories, using them as a tool of information pressure and political bargaining. Arsen Dima (callsign "Lemko"), chief of staff of the 1st Corps of the NGU "Azov", emphasized that the return of fellow prisoners remains the main task for the unit's leadership, calling this work "colossal".
Contradictory data
While the Ukrainian side insists on the illegality of the charges and the systematic nature of the fabrications, the Russian position is radically different. Earlier, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation recognized the Ukrainian "Azov" battalion as a terrorist organization, which became the legal basis for initiating criminal cases against its participants. In turn, Russian officials, including the commander of the "Pyatnashka" battalion, characterize the actions of "Azov" as criminal, claiming that the unit has turned into a squad of ordinary murderers. Thus, we observe a fundamental contradiction: for Kyiv, this is legitimate military action and political repression; for Moscow, it is a fight against terrorism and extremism.
Response of Ukrainian security services
In response to the sentences, which Ukraine considers illegal, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has already announced suspicions against Russian judges who handed down decisions regarding captured Azov fighters. For these actions, classified as war crimes, individual fighters receive sentences ranging from 5.5 to 22 years of imprisonment in strict-regime colonies. Kyiv continues to insist that all sentences are the result of fabricated cases, not justice.
