The russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) offered the captured Azov fighters to cooperate. They tried to persuade them to participate in the war on the enemy side, the Chief of Staff of the Azov regiment, Bohdan Krotevych, announced at a press conference.
"When we were released from captivity, they wanted in a way to recruit Azov as a unit, saying that you guys are fighting well, and let's destroy together - I'm using GRU's quote now, not my own - "destroy the West and the United States". It is quite strange, but that's how it was. The Azov fighters all unanimously shared the same opinion: they are our enemies, we are the Ukrainian military," he said.
Krotevych added that he, deputy commander of the Azov regiment Illya Ihnatyev and acting deputy commander of the Azov regiment for personnel Illya Samoilenko were held in the same place in Olenivka for the first four days of their captivity. On the night of the fifth day, they were transferred to another place, probably through Rostov airport.
"Now I understand that it was Moscow, although I thought it was Petersburg because I heard seagulls," he said.
Before the release, the prisoners were detained in russia.