“This is an important step towards reconciliation between the two member states of the Council of Europe,” Jagland said in a statement posted on the Council of Europe website.

The Secretary General also noted that this event is an important element of the Minsk process.

“We are ready to help Russia and Ukraine in the process of reconciliation,” he added.

It is also reported that the exchange was welcomed by OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Arlem Desir.

“I welcome the release of Oleg Sentsov, Roman Suschenko and Kirill Vyshinsky today in Kiev and Moscow,” the OSCE statement says.

Earlier it became known that the United States welcomed the exchange of held persons between Russia and Ukraine.