"Mobilization in the Russian Federation is a sign of weakness." Ambassador to Turkey Bodnar-about five commanders-defenders of Mariupol and the role of Erdogan in exchange

Among them: Hero of Ukraine Denis Prokopenko ("Redis") - commander of a separate detachment of special purpose of Azov; Video of Svyatoslav Palamar (Kalina), Deputy Commander of the Azov Regiment on Personnel; Sergey Volynskyi ("Volyn"), Acting commander of the 36th Separate Marine Corps; Denis Slega, commander of the 12th Brigade of Operational Purpose.

Dmitry Vyshnevetsky, Oleg Khomenko (Apis), commander of a commandant company, who directly commanded the defense of Azovstal in an interview with Radio NV Ambassador of Ukraine to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar told that he was aware of these five commanders and the role In their exchange for the godfather of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin - Viktor Medvedchuk. - Did you have the opportunity to see our defenders? How are they? - I saw them.

Since they have a special access mode, we have only one person who has access to this. This is specially done for safety to guarantee safety for our commanders. Of course, we will have contact with them, but not as often as we would like. Their condition was quite exhausted, but the morale . . . apparently they can withstand. They kept themselves well in captivity and during this transmission procedure.

They expected for a long time - four months, and then for a few hours on the territory of the airport in Ankara, where the transmission took place. Now they are in good, normal conditions. They are visited by one of our people. [Commanders are in the Turkish side - both medical care and everything as necessary. - How did the transmission go? - It is better to ask the [head of Ukrainian intelligence] Kirill Budanova, who was directly engaged in the transfer.

The only thing I can say was that it was a long and boring procedure, as the Russians delayed the transmission, did not immediately give our boys, after the plane arrived with the person who was transferred, with this traitor . . . - We did not know that Medvedchuk was brought to Ankara. Did you see Medvedchuk? - No, it all happened in a closed mode, away from the eyes. Two people were involved in this. It all happened so that no one but those persons could know not to disrupt this operation.

They prepared it for a long time. In fact, you know what exchange formulas were? 200 of our soldiers were exchanged for Medvedchuk, 55 Russians exchanged our 15 - five of our Azov officers and 10 foreigners. Physically, the transmission in Ankara. Our five officers arrived at Ankara on a Russian aircraft. And this traitor was brought to Ankara. There was a actual transmission procedure. Although, of course, the formula was completely different.

- There are already people who have communicated with our defenders by phone. It is said that the first thing they ask both Redis and Palamar is what is the situation on the front? And where at the front can we help? We understand that there is a condition that these commanders who came out of Azovstal, who should be in Turkey until the end of the war. And how will they be delayed there? - No one will hold them. Special conditions have been created to guarantee them safety in Turkey.

They are under the personal guarantees of President Erdogan and under the protection of one of the special services. Therefore, it is kept secret and location or stay, and all the conditions of their maintenance are not made apparent. But they are not closed. They, let's just say, are specially protected.

Gradually, when certain checks and rehabilitation procedures are underway (since after four months, they are not easy to capture), they will not be easy to decide how they will be and how much access will be accessed. I know for sure that they will be guaranteed to meet with relatives, with friends, and there will also be other opportunities, which we will also learn later in the communication process.

But I would like to emphasize again that this is a compromise that will allow them to be taken from Russian captivity. Since you know how much they were demonized in the aggressor country, how negative the image was, and how negatively it was a rashist society against our boys. In this case, security is not superfluous. All surgery should also be noted. It is extremely complex, complex. I do not know if there were such exchanges in history.

All this was coordinated by [Presidential Office] Andriy Yermak. Some of the information, of course, will not be revealed yet, as it can first and foremost harm those people who are there now. - What is Erdogan's motivation in this process? - This is embedded in their intermediary mission, which they form from the very beginning of the war. And it is the help in the exchange of prisoners of war is one of the classical functions of the intermediary country.

They have communication with the aggressor country. They have good dialogue with our side. As I understand, this issue was discussed during a meeting of presidents in Lviv - [Vladimir] Zelensky and Erdogan. Later, Andrei Yermak was carried out by the relevant communication with a corresponding colleague on the Turkish side - [President of Turkey President] Ibrahim Kalin.

Then, of course, the relevant services, which printed all these details and nuances, agreed, synchronized it all, because it was very difficult. Of course, we had no guarantee because there is no confidence in the aggressor country. Of course, the heavy load was on the Turkish side - both physical and political. The motivation is quite simple. Because it helps Turkey to strengthen its position in both bilateral dialogue and in the region.

And this is not only their merit in helping the grain agreement, but now in exchanges. As yesterday, Budanov said correctly, that this does not end the whole process, we will continue to hope for the help of the Turkish side in carrying out further exchanges or returning our servicemen home. Since we know, at least we can focus how much in the captivity the aggressor can be our citizens, servicemen, our heroes.

- Did Erdogan decide on which of the chairs he sits? Is he with Putin, is he perhaps with a civilized Western world? - No, President Erdogan has his policy, his game and on his chair. He does not claim to be a chair. Let us imagine that when Putin was leading under the pen (September 15 at the Shanhai organization - ed. ), He persuaded him to let go of 200 of our soldiers in exchange for one Medvedchuk. Or agreed on the mechanism of arrival of aircraft.

We want the result, not the process? And every time we criticize the process. We do not know what they were talking about. And we saw the result when our boys arrived. They are now at large. Here is the result. Likewise, the grain agreement and the negotiations that were in Istanbul. We will always be sensitive when our partners talk to the aggressor country. This is always a storm of emotions, we always begin to rush from from afar, not understanding what is happening.

When we see the result, we begin to clap, then get upset again. No need. Countries have its own policy, a policy based on Turkey's role in international relations. It includes these intermediary initiatives. It has a military component, for example, in the same Syria or Nagorny Karabas. Most likely, it is also about strengthening positions in Central Asia, from where Russia is slowly squeezed.

Events in the same highlands are also an element of confrontation between Turkey and Russia, although they are, of course, Azerbaijan with Armenia. And many other things that need to be put into the complex, and then understand what is really going on. Let's always look at the result that comes out of it. - We are Ukrainians - maximalists, but this can be explained by the fact that we are experiencing such very tragic events . . . - But this (exchange - ed. ) A good story.

It is a good science for us that we have to defend our position, despite the fact that someone tells us something. We are now not paying attention to Putin's statements, we are fighting further. We now do not pay attention to criticism from some European pseudopolitics who try to persuade us to negotiate. We do ours! From this there is a subjectivity.

In Turkey, this subjectivity exists from its period of time, especially in Erdogan, which can be evaluated differently from our point of view, from European or American. But from a Turkish point of view, of course, he defends his interests or interests of his state. Therefore, we need to come out of this, and we take this example. - Putin announced the so -called partial mobilization, the Russians immediately bought out all the tickets to Istanbul.

We understand that they will now run massively, including Turkey. What will the Ankara be about this? - You know that they have been running away from Russia from February 24. As of today, according to various data, Turkey has already registered for the temporary residence of half a million of Russian citizens. And these are not women with children like ours. Ours now 40 [thousand]. Their half a million is 10 times more. They have been running away for a long time.

And the fact that they have taken their families before, and now they catch up with these male persons, confirms that the mobilization policy will not lead to anything good in Russia. For her. This is for us. What they do is a sign of despair and weakness. Here, by the way, in some media, they say this: [in Russia] have not been able to make the military way, as the professional army belongs, now mobilization begins, now there will be even more stubborn battles.

We have seen comments from the authorities and experts that the war is delayed, despite the political efforts of Turkey. Everyone understands that simple negotiations with Putin, which, for example, the same Turkish side conducts or some other, do not lead to anything in terms of persuading them to stop fighting and picking up their troops. Accordingly, the tactics of attitude towards Russia will probably change. For example, there was a discussion of what to do with the system of peace.