Azov chief calls for "Moscow priests" to be added to prisoner exchange pool

Prokopenko receiving an award from Zelensky. Photo: Azov’s Telegram channel

Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Azov Brigade (callsign “Redis”), called on Ukrainian authorities via his Facebook page to include priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in prisoner exchanges with Russia.

Prokopenko expressed outrage that none of the captured Azov fighters were returned to Ukraine during the latest prisoner swaps with the Russian Federation. He demanded that officials “find ways” to make the Russian side more interested in including Azov members in future exchanges.

“Ukraine is packed to the brim with Russian agents – all the intelligence services are well aware of this; they just need to be given the order.

I believe that priests of the Moscow Patriarchate, who openly work for Russian intelligence services, would interest the Russians more than soldiers, whom the Russian Federation is throwing at Ukraine in droves,” Prokopenko stated.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that MP Valerii Zub said he was unaware of any evidence of Russian influence over the UOC.

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