The Pope Meets with Families of Unlawfully Convicted Azov Fighters
During the general audience on the last Wednesday of June, Pope Francis listened to testimonies from a group of relatives of Azov Brigade prisoners of war who defended Azovstal and have since been sentenced in russian captivity.
2024
The visit took place at the invitation of Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, with the support of the Association of Azovstal Defenders' Families in cooperation with the NGO “Heart of Azovstal”.
Tetiana, Tamara, Alla, and Vialetta, who are fighting for the release of their loved ones, shared their stories, pain and hopes with Pope Francis after the audience.
The relatives emphasized that more than 100 Azov fighters have been sentenced by russia, receiving prison terms ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment. They also noted that russians have still not returned all the bodies of the fallen defenders of Mariupol and Azovstal.
The relatives of Azov defenders also drew attention to the fact that recent prisoner exchanges did not include any Azov fighters, as russians categorically refuse to release them compared to other units. The enemy continues to torture and kill our fighters in captivity.
“The Red Cross promised that we would have contact with them but we receive neither letters nor calls and we are not even told their location. We can only learn information from those who have returned from captivity or from the media,” Tamara said.
“We are trying every possible option, knocking on every door we can. We are doing everything we can to convey the pain and suffering of our loved ones to everyone we meet and ask for help. That is why we are here today — so that the Pope can hear us, hear our stories, hear about our men, understand how long they have been there and what they have endured,” Alla said.
During the audience, Pope Francis was presented with a brochure containing key information about the captive defenders of Azovstal, including details about the horrific terrorist attack carried out by russians in Olenivka on the night of July 29, 2022.
The women also presented the Pope with symbolic gifts, including children’s drawings, a book, and a scaled-down replica of the monument from Sofiiska Square dedicated to the captive defenders of Mariupol.