Russia was the initiator, but put forward a condition: new details of the exchange of Azov commanders for Medvedchuk
Turkish newspaper Hurriyet revealed the details of the exchange of five Azov regiment commanders for the godfather of Russian dictator Viktor Medvedchuk, which took place in late September 2022 in Ankara.
Also then, as a result of the exchange between Ukraine and the aggressor state of the Russian Federation, 200 Ukrainian prisoners of war returned home.
The publication claims that the exchange was initiated by the Russian side. When Ukrainians agreed to it, negotiations on the organization took place in Ankara with the participation of Turkish intelligence.
On day “X”, two planes landed at Ankara airport: one from Russia with captured Azov regiment commanders and the other from Ukraine with Medvedchuk. Representatives of the parties climbed on opposite sides to identify the participants of the exchange and check their health.
According to Hurriyet, after this procedure, the exchange was carried out.
According to the newspaper, one of the conditions of the Russians was that the five Azov commanders stayed in Turkey until the end of the war. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan then gave guarantees of their safety.
It is still unknown where Medvedchuk is now, but as the publication notes, since then neither party has violated the agreement.
In early November, Azov regiment commanders met with their relatives in Turkey.
At the end of December, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Turkey Vasyl Bondar said that the released commanders from Azovstal are in comfortable conditions, and their families can come to them for the New Year.
Source: Hurriyet
