Documents are being prepared for an international tribunal over Ukrainian prisoners of war, who are now in the DNR, said the head of the unrecognized “republic” Denis Pushilin, quoted by news agencies.
“As for the prisoners, they are working with the relevant specialized agencies. As for the foreign mercenaries and foreigners in their composition, information will be published later. As for their fate in the future, everything is absolutely obvious:
Now they are detained on the territory of the DNR, where an international tribunal is planned in the future, the relevant documents are currently being prepared, the statute of the tribunal is being written.
It is possible that there will be intermediate tribunals following the example of the events after the Great Patriotic War, “Pushilin said on Russian television.
On May 20, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the complete release of the Azovstal metallurgical plant. 2,439 Ukrainian soldiers, including from the Azov Regiment, laid down their arms and surrendered, and criminal proceedings were instituted against them in Russia.
Earlier in the day it was reported that Russian military began clearing mines and the ruins of the Azovstal metallurgical plant in Mariupol, Reuters reported.
Videos from the complex show that some Russian soldiers walked around the steel plant and the ruined roads around with minesweepers, while others checked under various objects for improvised explosive devices.
Ukrainian authorities have not officially commented on the handover of the plant to Russian troops. Earlier, they called the incident a “rescue operation” by the military, avoiding the terms “captivity” or “surrender”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not mention the end of the operation at the plant in another evening address, but had previously said that “to date, all civilians, medics and wounded have been removed from Azovstal.” In the near future, not even in a few days , the removal of all will be completed, “added the Ukrainian president.
He appeared in Russian state media and pro-government telegram channels on Friday night video with Sergey Volinski (Volina)commander of the 36th Marine Brigade of the Ukrainian forces, in which he introduced himself and confirmed that he had been captured.
It is also alleged that Azov commanders Denis Prokopenko and Svyatoslav Palamara have left the plant. There are no videos with them.
Russia’s Defense Ministry says Azov commander Prokopenko was taken out of the plant in a special armored car allegedly “because of the hatred of Mariupol residents and to protect him from the city’s desire to kill him for his many atrocities.” .
Russian forces have repeatedly blamed Ukrainian nationalists for indiscriminate bombings and the deaths of civilians during the siege of Mariupol, including the attack on the maternity hospital.
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