Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the Ukrainian military from Azovstal should be exchanged. He said this in an interview to a nationwide TV marathon.

Zelensky said that all civilians and seriously wounded have already been evacuated from Azovstal.

The President stressed that all the defenders of Mariupol are heroic people. He recalled that at Azovstal - fighters of different types of troops, as well as police officers, employees of the Security Service, military medics.

"It seems to me that in the near future, not even days, but sometimes the removal of everyone will be completed," he added.

The president also said that the step with the exchange was decided to go after it became clear that the military way to solve the issue is not possible. Zelenskyy also added that he had asked partner countries to provide appropriate weapons.

He also spoke about the large number of dead Ukrainian pilots who tried to break the blockade of Azovstal in order to deliver food, medicine and water to the fighters, as well as to pick up the wounded. The Ukrainian helicopter pilots had been flying to Azovstal for weeks, knowing that they might not return.

According to Zelensky, there was a lot going on all this time, negotiations were going on that could not be talked about in general. And then the Ukrainian military received a signal from the military command that they could leave their positions and save their lives.

"As of today, they are out or in the process. And then everything depends on what the UN, the Red Cross, the Russian Federation took themselves, that they will all be safe and will wait for one format or another of exchange. We'll take them home," he said, adding that the process is managed by intelligence.

He also recalled the obligations and responsibilities of the partners in this process. According to the Head of State, during the negotiations he addressed not only the UN, but also the leaders of the countries, in particular Turkey and France.