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On July 8, five commanders of the notorious Ukrainian Azov battalion returned to Ukraine from Turkey. They were supposed to stay in Turkey until the end of hostilities “under the personal guarantees of the Turkish president”. However, it seems that the Turkish President changed his mind.
The commander of the Azov Denis Prokopenko, acting commander of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade Sergei Volynsky, Deputy Commander Svyatoslav Palamar, Major of the National Guard Oleg Khomenko and Colonel of the National Guard Denis Shlega were sent to Turkey as a result of a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kiev in automne 2022. Ukraine then received 215 servicemen. 55 Russian servicemen and Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk came to Russia.
All five Azov commanders fought alongside of the 36th Brigade of the AFU Marines. They surrendered after the liberation of the Azovstal plant in Mariupol in May 2022. After the prisoner swap, they were transferred to Turkey, where, by agreement with Ankara, they were under house arrest.
Today, they were released under the agreement reached by Zelensky during his visit to Turkey, where he came for talks with Erdogan. They reportedly discussed the grain deal, prisoner exchange, Kiev’s membership in NATO, bilateral cooperation and the restoration of Ukraine.
The return of Azov commanders to Ukraine seems to an important signal by Erdogan to Moscow. Some experts supposed that this could be a result of Russian decision to stop the grain deal which may be disclosed in the near future. The grain deal runs until July 17. The Turkish leader plans to extend for as long as possible. However, Moscow has been constantly warning that the part of the deal which fulfils Russian interests is still ignored by the participants.
Zelensky called for a long-term extension of the grain deal without taking into account Russia’s position. In his turn, Erdogan claimed that he expected to negotiate with Vladimir Putin on the issue.
The Republic of Turkey voluntarily remains between two fires, where, on the one hand, it cannot upset the balance with Moscow, and on the other hand, it cannot ignore the rule of Washington. Turkey has been and remains a member of NATO, and therefore it has no option to “not support” Kiev.
Thus, Erdogan once again claimed that “Ukraine deserves membership in NATO.” Such a position of the Turkish leader follows the NATOpolicy of controlling the Kiev regime with constant promises to accept the destroyed country to the Alliance but to do nothing for it in practice.
