Kremlin Calls Return of Azov Leaders to Ukraine Violation of Existing Agreements

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The return of the leaders of the nationalist Azov battalion* from Turkiye to Ukraine is a violation of the terms of the existing agreements both on the part of Ankara and Kiev, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sputnik on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the leaders of the Azov battalion had returned to Ukraine from Turkiye.

"The return of the Azov leaders from Turkiye to Ukraine is nothing more than a direct violation of the terms of the existing agreements. Moreover, in this case, the conditions were violated by both the Ukrainian side and the Turkish side," Peskov said, when asked the relevant question.

No one informed Moscow about the step, the Kremlin spokesman said, adding that under the terms of the agreements reached, the Azov leaders had been supposed to stay in Turkiye until the end of the Ukraine conflict.

Peskov also noted that Turkiye's to hand over the Azov commanders back to Ukraine in violation of the existing agreements is directly linked to the failures of Kiev's counteroffensive, which it suffers on a daily basis.

"This decision to hand over the Azov commanders to [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky in violation of the existing agreements, to return them to Ukraine, is certainly directly related to the failures of the counteroffensive. These are failures that the troops of the Kiev regime currently face every day," Peskov said.

The Kremlin spolesman highlighted that Russia understands very well that a lot of pressure was exerted on Turkiye in the context of preparations for the upcoming NATO summit, and Ankara, being a member of the alliance, shows solidarity with it.

"Of course, preparations for the NATO summit are underway, and of course, in the context of this preparation, a lot of pressure was exerted on Turkey. And Turkey itself, of course, being a member of NATO, demonstrates its solidarity with the North Atlantic Alliance. We understand all this very well," Peskov noted.

Denis Pushilin, the acting head of the Donetsk People's Republic said in September 2022 that as a result of the exchange of prisoners with Ukraine, 215 people, including the leaders of the Azov battalion, had been transferred to Kiev. The exchange of prisoners was also confirmed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In January 2023, the Hurriyet newspaper reported, citing Turkish sources, that the Azov leaders were in Turkiye at Russia's demand.

*Azov Battalion is a terrorist organization banned in Russia.