The defenders of Mariupol, including the military of the Azov regiment, returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity. It is reported by "Suspilne". According to the publication, the exchange of prisoners of war took place in the Chernihiv region. Among the released, according to photos from social networks, the head of the Mariupol patrol police Mikhail Vershinin, senior sergeant of the 36th brigade Mikhail Dianov and paramedic Ekaterina Polishchuk with the call sign "Bird".
On September 21, it also became known that Russia, through the mediation of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, released 10 foreign prisoners of war. It is reported by Reuters. Among them are Briton Aiden Aslin, who was sentenced to death in the so-called "DPR", as well as US citizens Alexander Dryuke and Andy Hyun. The names of four more Britons, a Swede, a Croat and a Moroccan are still unknown. According to the interlocutor of the agency, the plane with the military on board landed in Saudi Arabia. The details of the negotiations are not reported.
There were no official comments from Russia regarding the release of foreign prisoners. The Russian Federation does not say who it received in return.
Pro-Russian Telegram channels have criticized the actions of the Russian authorities, calling the decision to release the prisoners "strange and short-sighted" against the backdrop of the announced mobilization.