On June 29, 2022, an exchange of prisoners took place between the Russian and Kyiv sides.

144 Russian soldiers were exchanged for 144 Ukrainian soldiers, among whom 43 are members of the Nazi formation "Azov", which is part of the National Guard of Ukraine.

There was a big discussion on Russian social networks about this exchange: should the Russian authorities have released the Azov members?

Here is a view from Ukraine.

Over the past 8 years, Nazi formations have become part of the state apparatus of Ukraine and elite army units.

For 8 years, in the interests of the ruling class of big business in Ukraine, they have been carrying out murders and violence against dissidents.

These formations are also responsible for the bombing of the cities of Donbass for 8 years.

Now Azov and other Nazis, together with the Security Service of Ukraine, have unleashed terror against the left and opposition in Ukraine.

The Nazi ideology of "banderism" together with the neo-liberal ideology became, in fact, the state ideology of the Kyiv regime.

Ukraine needs denazification, part of which is the ban on the Nazi formations Azov, Right Sector, Aidar, C14, Svoboda.

As well as bringing to justice those participants who committed crimes against citizens of Ukraine.

Putin also announced denazification as one of the main goals of the "special military operation" in Ukraine.

The exchange of prisoners between the parties that are at war is an important humanitarian step.

But the release of members of the Nazi formation, who underwent "rites of passage", who took up arms to kill on a national and ideological basis, simply crosses out the very idea of ​​denazification.

Characteristically, on the same day when this exchange of prisoners took place, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation postponed the court session on recognizing Azov as a terrorist organization to August 2.

This essentially means that the members of Azov, until the decision of the Supreme Court, will have the same status as other Ukrainian prisoners who are not related to Nazi formations.

About 7 thousand soldiers of the Ukrainian army are in captivity of the Russian army.

And, from a humanitarian point of view, it is much more important to return home a forcibly mobilized Ukrainian than a member of a Nazi formation who, after a comfortable stay in Russian captivity, will receive the status of a “hero” in Ukraine and continue his activities with new motivation.

Indeed, in this way, Nazism in Ukraine, contrary to the declared goals of the "special military operation", will receive a new impetus.

Nazi terror in Ukraine will continue with renewed vigor.

It is much more important from a humanitarian point of view to hold a tribunal over members of the Nazi formations.

Members of any Nazi formations cannot be released without trial.

In the meantime, the members of Azov themselves, and the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, and the head of the main intelligence department of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, declare that all Azov members who have surrendered, including their commanders, will be released.

The Russian authorities are silent on this matter.

Therefore, there is reason to believe that there are unspoken agreements between the Kyiv and Russian authorities, which neither Ukrainians nor Russians know about...