Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky returned from a visit to Turkey today, bringing home five former commanders of the Ukrainian garrison in the city of Mariupol despite last year's prisoner exchange that would have kept the men in Turkey, Reuters reports.
Russia immediately condemned the release of the men.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Turkey violated the terms of the prisoner exchange and did not notify Moscow.
The commanders, hailed as heroes in Ukraine, led last year's defense of the port, the largest city captured by Russia in its invasion.
Thousands of civilians were killed in Mariupol when Russian forces ravaged the city during a three-month siege.
Ukrainian defenders held out in tunnels and bunkers under the Azovstal steel plant until Kiev finally ordered them to surrender in May last year.
Moscow released some of them in September in a prisoner exchange brokered by Ankara, under conditions that required the commanders to remain in Turkey until the end of the war.
"We are coming home from Turkey and we are bringing our heroes home," said Zelenskiy, who met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for talks in Istanbul on Friday.
"Ukrainian soldiers Denis Prokopenko, Svyatoslav Palamar, Sergey Volinsky, Oleh Khomenko, Denis Shleha. They will finally be with their relatives," he said on the Telegram messaging app.
Peskov told the Russian news agency RIA: "No one informed us about this. According to the agreements, these ringleaders should remain on the territory of Turkey until the end of the conflict."
Peskov said the release was the result of strong pressure from Turkey's NATO allies ahead of a summit of the military alliance next week where Ukraine hopes to get a positive sign on its future membership.
In his comment, Zelensky did not provide an explanation as to why the commanders were now allowed to return home.
Turkey's Communications Directorate did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to Reuters.
Zelensky released a one-minute video showing himself and other officials shaking hands and hugging the smiling commanders before they boarded the Czech plane together.
Many Ukrainians welcomed the news on social networks.
"Finally! The best news ever. Congratulations to our brothers!" - said Major Maksim Zhorin, who is now fighting in the east of Ukraine, in the messaging application Telegram.
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