Kyiv: Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered to exchange Viktor Medvedchuk, the detained chairman of the political council of Ukrainian party Opposition Platform — For Life, for Ukrainians captured during Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.
On Tuesday, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said Medvedchuk was detained on Zelenskyy’s order.
“He [Medvedchuk] was hiding for 48 days. And finally he decided to try to escape beyond the borders of our country… I consider it especially cynical of him to use military camouflage – he tried to disguise himself like that… Well, if Medvedchuk himself chose military uniform, he falls under wartime rules – I offer to the Russian Federation to exchange this guy of yours for our guys and girls who are now in Russian captivity,” Zelenskyy said in a video address on Telegram.
“Therefore, it is important that our law enforcement agencies and the military also consider this possibility,” he said.
Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24 in response to calls from the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics for protection against intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the special operation, which targets Ukrainian military infrastructure, aims to “demilitarize and denazify” Ukraine. Moscow has said it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. Western nations have imposed numerous sanctions on Russia.
