Zelensky awards Azov regiment commanders

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday awarded five recently released commanders of the Azov regiment with the orders of Gold Star.

The highest state awards has been handed to given to commander of the Azov separate special purpose regiment of the National Guard Denys Prokopenko, his deputy Svyatoslav Palamar, acting commander of the 36th separate brigade of marines Serhiy Volynskyi, senior officer of Azov Oleh Khomenko, and commander of the 12th brigade of the National Guard Denys Shleha.

The award ceremony took place during the meeting of the Head of the President’s Office and First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska with the Azovstal defenders and members of their families in Turkey.

More than 200 Ukrainian fighters, as well as ten foreigners who fought on the side of Ukraine, returned from Russian captivity following the prisoner swap on September 21.

The five freed Azov Regiment commanders are currently in Turkey under the personal security guarantees of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan until the end of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.