The ex-commander of the Azov Regiment said that the Russians have been preparing an information special operation with the participation of captured soldiers of the regiment.

The relevant statement was made by the ex-commander of the Regiment Maksym Zhorin.

In the coming days, there may be public announcements from the Ukrainian servicemen, who were captured in the fighting in Mariupol.

Maksym Zhorin warned that Ukrainian fighters are now under pressure and influence from Russian special services.

“I ask everyone to be very careful – the information you hear may not be true. We remember where and in what conditions the heroic defenders of Azovstal are,” ex-commander of the Azov Regiment Maksym Zhorin said.

As of the beginning of June, more than 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers who were defending the Ukrainian city of Mariupol remain in captivity.

“As for the prisoners, there are more than 2.5 thousand. It is difficult to say more precisely. This is not the number of people who left Azovstal when we, our side, were involved in this process… Your question was – are there more people from Azovstal, the military, in their captivity. I think there are more,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Currently, the issue of the release of Ukrainian soldiers is being handled by the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.

According to the President, the Russians do not torture the Ukrainian servicemen from Azovstal, because it is not beneficial for them to do so, as the fighters have already become public figures.

The Ukrainian servicemen have been defending Mariupol for more than 80 days. On May 16, the evacuation of Ukrainian defenders from the Azovstal plant blocked by the Russian invaders began, and lasted for several days.

After the withdrawal of the Ukrainian servicemen from Azovstal, according to the agreements, they are waiting for an exchange.

Also, recently in Zaporozhzhia another exchange of bodies of the fallen servicemen took place. Ukraine has returned 64 more bodies of Azovstal defenders. The other day Maksym Zhorin said that more than 200 bodies of Azovstal defenders killed in Mariupol were returned to Ukraine had under the exchange procedure.