CNN —Ukrainian commanders who were captured by Russia after leading the defense of Mariupol from the Azovstal steel plant have vowed to return to the battle field following a prisoner swap. The commanders announced their intentions at a press conference held shortly after arriving in Lviv, Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday. Zelensky thanked his team and President Erdogan in particular for helping to bring the Azovstal leaders home. Zelensky pictured with Azovstal commanders as they return to Ukraine from Istanbul. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout/ReutersThe Ukrainian president also announced his appointment of Oleksandr Pivnenko as new commander of the National Guard.

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Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Denys Prokopenko, ” Prokopenko, Zelensky, Roman Baluk, Svyatoslav Palamar, Lesya Ukrainka, ”, ” Palamar, Erdogan, Oleksandr Pivnenko, …, Bakhmut ” Organizations: CNN, Reuters, Presidential Press Service, National Guard, Ukraine’s National Guard Locations: Russia, Mariupol, Lviv, Ukraine, Turkey, Ukrainian, Azovstal, Azov, Roman, Reuters Azov, Istanbul