More than 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers were sent to Russia for investigation

“More than 1,000 people from Azovstal have been sent to Russia. Law enforcement agencies are working with these people,” TASS on June 8 quoted a source, but did not say what will happen next with the surrendered soldiers.

The source also said that more Ukrainian prisoners of war will be transferred to Russia.

If confirmed, the news could further undermine the already troubled peace process between the two sides.

Kiev is hoping for a possible prisoner swap for the entire estimated 2,000 Ukrainian troops defending the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, but Russian lawmakers have demanded that some of these soldiers be brought to trial. .

On June 6, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that while the fate of the defenders of Azovstal is unclear, Ukraine has accomplished its first goal of getting them out of the factory alive.

“Now is the second goal: Bring them back to their homeland alive,” Mr. Zelensky said.

The defense of the Azovstal plant was led by the Azov battalion. The unit has its roots in far-right groups and is called a “fascist” militia by Russia.

The Ukrainian side denies this accusation and asserts that the Azov Battalion has been reformed, integrated into the regular armed army and has no political involvement.

On June 7, the bodies of dozens of soldiers defending the Azovstal factory were handed over to Kiev by Russia, according to Ukrainian authorities. Many of the bodies were members of the Azov Battalion.