The Deputy Minister of Defense noted that the exchange process is usually classified, and in such a situation it is tough to communicate with the public and build trust.

Russia categorically did not want to exchange the Azov defenders, because they supported the Russian myth about the reasons for the invasion of Ukraine.

Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar wrote about this on Telegram, commenting on yesterday's exchange of prisoners.

"The President, Yermak (Head of the Office of the President Andrei Yermak) and Budanov (Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense Kirill Budanov) were directly involved in the exchange. And they managed to quadruple the number of our people for exchange compared to the figure that was mentioned first," she wrote.

Malyar added that, in addition, the heads of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Service of Ukraine took part in the exchange.

She stressed that it was our state's systemic, well-organized, long-term work.

Malyar noted that the process of exchanges is usually classified, and in such a situation, it is tough to communicate with the public and build trust.

"All the time the negotiation process continued, the state communicated with the prisoners' families - frankly, as far as possible in such a situation. But to communicate with the whole society, given the topic's sensitivity, is possible only at the level of the message - "the negotiation process is ongoing, the state is doing everything possible." After all, any extra word can derail the negotiations," the deputy minister stressed.

She also noted the importance of public confidence in this matter.

"Trust was manifested in patient waiting, without public hysteria and empty accusations, in the belief that the state does not abandon its people and makes every effort to return them home. Behind the dry words "negotiations continue" is a titanic work. After all, The Russian Federation categorically did not want to exchange the Azov defenders and was going to arrange a shameful trial of our heroes. You know that the Russian myth about the reasons for the invasion was based on the Azov people. However, Ukraine forced the Russian Federation to act following international law and hand over our prisoners of war, " Malyar said.

She stressed that the result is unusual for every Ukrainian.

Recall that Ukraine and Russia held a large-scale exchange of prisoners. 215 people were released from Russian captivity, including 108 Azov defenders and 10 foreign volunteers. In response, Ukraine fired 55 invaders and Vladimir Putin's godfather Viktor Medvedchuk.

In particular, among the fired were the commanders of the defenders of Azovstal Denis Prokopenko "Redis", Sergei Volynsky "Volina", Svyatoslav Palamar "Kalina", Denis Shlega, Oleg Khomenko.

The defenders Maryana Mamonova, Yana Shumovetskaya and Anastasia Chernenkaya, who was captured, being pregnant, were also released.