Russia is considering exchanging Ukrainian prisoners from the Azov regiment for Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Russian Ukrainian politician and oligarch, according to Russian state media.
“We will study the matter,” Leonid Slutsky, a member of the Russian delegation for Ukraine-Russia negotiations, said during a visit to the occupied city of Donetsk, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported on Saturday.
Medvedchuk was detained by Ukrainian authorities in April in a “special operation”, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this year.
Announcing Medvedchuk’s arrest in April, Zelensky posted a photo on Telegram of the shaggy, handcuffed oligarch wearing uniform on Telegram, with the caption: “A special operation was carried out thanks to the SBU [Serviço de Segurança da Ucrânia]. Very well!”
Before the invasion of Russia, Medvedchuk faced charges of treason in Ukraine and was under house arrest. His whereabouts were unknown in the weeks following the invasion. Some observers speculated that Medvedchuk or one of his allies could be the Kremlin’s preference to lead a puppet government in Ukraine if the February 24 invasion succeeded in toppling Zelensky.
Source: CNN Brasil
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