President Volodymyr Zelensky during a conversation with journalists said that more than 2.5 thousand defenders of Ukraine from the Azovstal plant are in Russian captivity. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine.

According to the head of state, the release of fighters is engaged in the Main Department of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense. Zelensky said that it is not beneficial for Russia to use torture against the defenders of Mariupol, because they have become public prisoners.

The president also said that the authorities of the aggressor country and the DNR militants were trying to PR with their statements about the fate of the captured fighters and that he did not take their words seriously.