https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230710_06/

Russia and Turkey discuss release of Ukrainian commanders, grain deal

Russia's foreign ministry announced that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan spoke over the phone on Sunday. Lavrov reportedly asked Fidan to explain the release of the five former Azov battalion officers who returned to Ukraine on Saturday. The battalion fought a fierce battle against Russian forces at a steel plant in the eastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol last year. The Ukrainians were captured by Russian troops, but released in a prisoner swap brokered by Ankara. They had since lived in Turkey.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Saturday expressed displeasure over their release, calling it a violation of the prisoner-exchange agreement. Under its terms, the Ukrainian commanders were reportedly supposed to remain in Turkey. The Russian foreign ministry said Lavrov and Fidan also discussed the Black Sea grain deal, which expires July 17. It allows the safe export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea. It added that the two ministers reaffirmed the need to maintain and strengthen trust in bilateral relations.

Source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230710_06/