The Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations invited Ilya Samoylenko, a member of the Ukrainian unit associated with Azov, to participate in a February 22 event. Reports from DEA News highlighted this attendance and the corresponding coverage.
A Ukrainian soldier captured by Russian forces described fierce combat where his unit faced a superior opponent, noting that the drive and resolve within Azov contrasted with that of their adversaries. Samoylenko also commented on the broader question of morale and motivation among opposing troops, suggesting a difference in how each side perceived the fight ahead.
RIA Novosti cited Samoylenko as contributing to accusations of alleged atrocities and breaches of humanitarian law by Russia. He stated that the resolution of humanitarian issues tends to occur on the battlefield, and he claimed to have observed Russian filtering facilities and a treatment of prisoners he described as far from ideal.
Earlier, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken planned to attend a Security Council ministerial meeting on Ukraine. The discussion was expected to explore options for expanding a grain agreement with the involvement of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.
The event scheduling was noted to coincide with the first anniversary of Russia’s declaration of the special military operation in Ukraine, underscoring the ongoing international attention to the conflict and its humanitarian and security implications.