Military personnel from "Azovstal" Prokopenko, Palamar, Volynsky, Khomenko and Shleha together with Zelensky returned from Turkey to Ukraine. VIDEO

On 8 July, several prisoners who had previously been transferred to Turkey returned to Ukraine with President Zelensky.

According to Censor.NET, this was reported in Zelensky's telegram.

The message reads: "We are returning home from Turkey and bringing our heroes home. Ukrainian soldiers Denys Prokopenko, Svyatoslav Palamar, Serhiy Volynsky, Oleh Khomenko, Denys Shleha will finally be with their families. Glory to Ukraine!"

On 21 September 2022, 215 Ukrainian defenders were released as part of an exchange with the Russian occupiers. Among them are the commanders of Azovstal's defenders. Five Azovs were held in Turkey under Erdogan's personal guarantees of protection and security. Viktor Medvedchuk and 55 occupants were returned to Russia as part of the exchange.

The leadership of the Mariupol garrison of the Azov National Guard Brigade of Ukraine was in a closed security facility in Turkey.