[World Now_영상] Russia-Ukraine exchanges largest prisoner of war since the outbreak of war

Soldiers and prisoners of war walk in long processions.

Those injured and unable to walk are carried on stretchers.

Shortly thereafter, ambulances and trucks arrive one after another to pick them up.

Ukraine has exchanged 144 prisoners of war with Russia, including 95 captured during resistance at the ironworks Azoustal in southeastern Mariupol.

“I want to tell people close to me that I will be back soon. To be honest, I’m full of emotions”

Ukrainian soldier Artur Ripka did not hide his excitement.

Some soldiers asked the authorities to be sure to rescue the remaining comrades.

“This is the largest exchange of prisoners of war since the beginning of the all-out Russian invasion,” the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s intelligence agency announced on Telegram on the same day.

He added that many of the released Ukrainian prisoners were seriously injured, including burns or amputation, and are currently being treated.

Denis Pusilin, the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), a pro-Russian force in the eastern Donbas region, also confirmed that 144 Russian soldiers had returned to Russia.

Ukraine also said that of the 95 exchanged on the same day, 43 belonged to the Azo Friendship Regiment.

Mariupol fell to Russia last month after months of fighting, and at least 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers were captured at the Azoustal Works, the last stronghold of the Ukrainian army.

The core of these forces was the Azou Regiment and the Ukrainian Army’s 36th Marine Brigade, which were rooted in the far-right militias against pro-Russian rebels in 2014.

The Guardian reported that some Russian politicians objected to the fact that members of the Azo Regiment had been transferred to Ukraine.

As Russia defines the AZO Alliance as a far-right nationalist force like the Nazis, they should be put on trial and sentenced to severe punishment instead of being treated as prisoners of war.

Andrei Medvedev, Vice-President of the Russian House of Representatives, criticized on a Telegram account, saying, “Why did Russia have to exchange Azov[Azow]regiment members? There were no other prisoners of war for Russia to exchange.”

Some members of the House of Representatives said they would introduce a bill to exclude members of the Azo Friendship from the exchange of prisoners of war.