The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his mediation in the release of the soldiers captured during the defense of Azovstal and Mariupol.

APA reports that Zelensky said this on Twitter.

"We returned 215 people from Russian captivity: 188 of them are defenders of Azovstal and Mariupol, and 108 of them are fighters of the Azov battalion, national guards, marines, border guards, policemen, territorial defense and security service employees.

Now they are safe.

We remember everyone and try to save them.

According to the agreements reached with Erdogan, the 5 commanders of the freed "Azov" will live comfortably in Turkey until the end of the war.

They will be able to meet their families.

I thank President Erdogan from the bottom of my heart for his pioneering role in the liberation of our people," the Ukrainian leader said.

Zelensky noted that during the exchange of prisoners of war, 10 foreign citizens who fought in the ranks of the Ukrainian military were also released from Russian captivity.

5 of them are citizens of Britain, 2 of the USA, 1 of Morocco, 1 of Sweden and 1 of Croatia.

"With the mediation of Saudi Arabia, they will return to their homeland.

I am truly grateful to everyone involved in this."