Twenty-plus Ukrainian servicemen captured by Russian forces during the siege of the port city of Mariupol have been brought to trial in the country’s southwestern region. The seized servicemen were all part of the elite Ukrainian armed forces’ Azov regiment, which engaged Russian troops near Mariupol, a city on the Sea of Azov. After a fierce three-month fight that left most of Mariupol in ruins, the surviving Ukrainian defenders eventually surrendered to Russian forces in May 2022 while holed up in a massive steel plant.
The court in Rostov-on-Don, in southern Russia, began hearing proceedings against Azov troops on Wednesday. The Azov unit has been labelled a “terrorist group” by the Russian government. The Azov Regiment, a former volunteer unit with far-right roots that was officially incorporated into Ukraine’s army, was labelled a “terrorist” group by Russia’s highest court in August of last year. Members of Azov, who Russian authorities have accused of harboring neo-Nazi and white supremacist beliefs, can now face lengthy prison terms thanks to a judgment by Russia’s Supreme Court. Eight women are among the 22 accused on trial. Photos obtained on Wednesday inside the courtroom showed a group of pale, slender Ukrainian troops sat behind a glass partition. The guys all had their hair closely shaven. The accused are charged with taking part in terrorist activities and conspiring to topple the Russian-backed Donetsk government. If found guilty, they may face anything from 15 years to life in jail. According to a Wednesday statement from the Red Cross, 1,500 prisoners of war from both sides of the conflict had been visited. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has stressed the need of such visits for monitoring living conditions in prisons, communicating with loved ones, and supplying basic supplies like soap and toothbrushes.
Around 5,500 families have been informed of the whereabouts of their loved ones in the fighting thanks to the ICRC and its allies, and around 2,500 personal communications have been exchanged between POWs and their families. Ariane Bauer, regional director for Europe and Central Asia at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), told reporters, “For the prisoners of war and their families who have been able to share news, the impact is… immeasurable.” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine has said that the Red Cross is not doing enough to secure access to Ukrainian servicemen who have been seized by Russian forces.
