Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is returning to Ukraine from Turkey, with Azov commanders previously interned in Turkey after the end of the fighting in Mariupol.

"We are returning home from Türkiye and bringing our heroes home. Ukrainian soldiers Denys Prokopenko, Svyatoslav Palamar, Serhiy Volynsky, Oleh Khomenko, Denys Shleha. They will finally be with their relatives. Glory to Ukraine," he said on his Telegram channel.

He also posted a video of all five boarding Zelenskyy's plane.

On September 22, 2022, Zelenskyy said Ukraine managed to return five of its military commanders in exchange for 55 of those who fought against the Ukrainian state and those who betrayed Ukraine.

"In addition to 200 warriors, we returned five more combat commanders. We fought for them the most. And the most difficult. They were threatened by the worst. Five superheroes – in exchange for them, we gave away 55 of those who deserve neither pity, nor sympathy, nor tears those who fought against Ukraine and those who betrayed Ukraine, those who we definitely do not need," Zelenskyy said in a video address. According to him, Ukraine has agreed with Turkey regarding this exchange.

"I talked about this with President Erdogan: that our five commanders, who are being released from captivity, will be in complete safety, in comfortable conditions and under the personal protection of the President of Turkey, at least until the end of the war, but we will provide their families with the opportunity to see them," he said.

As Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Main Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, said at the time, they would be in Turkey "for a certain period of time."