“Talking about dates prematurely”: how Moscow and Kiev assess the prospects for a new prisoner exchange

There is no specifics regarding the timing of the next exchange of held persons with Ukraine, however, “there is an understanding that this process needs to be continued,” said Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Russian president. According to him, this measure is consistent with the Minsk agreements.

He also pointed out that the return of the citizens of both countries to their homeland was preceded by "enormous scrupulous preparatory work."

“Therefore, for now, it would be premature to talk about the timing of the next exchange, but there is an understanding that we need to go to this,” Peskov said.

Lyudmila Denisova, the plenipotentiary of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights, said on the air of the 1 + 1 television channel that by the end of 2019 a second exchange of held persons could take place between Moscow and Kiev.

“We are not stopping, we are conducting personal negotiations, the president and the head of the working group, namely Mr. Yermak (Andriy Yermak is the Assistant to the President of Ukraine. - RT ), are holding negotiations in order to return everyone,” Denisova said.

According to her, the second stage of the exchange may include at least 113 people. However, she also refused to provide any additional details, since the implementation of such cases should “take place in silence”.

The assistant to the Ukrainian leader, Andrei Yermak, said that Vladimir Zelensky instructed to expedite the preparations for the next stage of the release of convicted and detained persons.

This issue is kept under special control, believes the first deputy committee of the Federation Council on international affairs, Vladimir Dzhabarov.

“Such steps are only welcome, of course, if we are talking about people who have not committed particularly serious crimes against Russian citizens. But we would like that in the future there would not be such events between our countries - we are not at war with Ukraine, so I would like for the time to come when these issues would not be on the agenda at all, so that there would be no “prisoners” - not there not here. Because it’s nonsense when two fraternal peoples are engaged in the exchange of prisoners, in fact, ”the senator said in an interview with RT.

“I found a scythe on a stone” - this is how one can explain the sharp desire and readiness of Ukraine for dialogue with Moscow, said State Duma deputy from the Republic of Crimea Ruslan Balbek. At the same time, the parliamentarian is confident that before the first exchange, President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky requested permission from Western politicians.

“Nevertheless, this is a positive step. The very fact that Ukraine wants to exchange another number of those arrested is an example. However, we still need to discuss who official Kiev will offer us for an exchange, since this process, I think, should be equivalent. The fact that official Kiev wants, at least in words, to agree and take real steps to improve relations between our countries cannot but rejoice. I would like this “warm road” of our relations with Ukraine not to end, because, be that as it may, we are neighbors and countries close to each other, including mentally, ”the source said.

Exchange September 7

Recall, on September 7, between Russia and Ukraine an exchange of held persons took place according to the “35 by 35” formula. Among those who returned to Russia was the head of RIA Novosti Ukraine Kirill Vyshinsky. Moscow transferred to Kiev, among others, sailors detained for violating the state border of the Russian Federation in the Kerch Strait, and director Oleg Sentsov, convicted of terrorism.

As stated by RBC Ukrainian Ombudsman, the process was supervised by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak and Assistant to the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak. According to her, one part of those released by Russia was pardoned, and the second was released under her personal obligation.

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“Ukrainians released from captivity are free citizens. Ten political prisoners were pardoned by the President of Russia, one was released by Bekirov under a personal obligation, 24 sailors were released under my personal obligation as a person who deserves trust, according to Article 103 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation, ”Denisova said on the air of“ 1 + 1 ”TV channel ".

Russian officials called the incident the first step on the road from confrontation to dialogue.

“Unlike its predecessors, the new Zelensky administration has demonstrated a sound approach and willingness to compromise,” the Foreign Ministry commented.

The hope that the exchange did not become a one-time public relations event in an interview with RT was also expressed by the head of RIA Novosti of Ukraine, Kirill Vyshinsky, who returned to Russia on September 7 with a special board from Kiev, along with participants in the agreement on the liberation between the countries.

“There are many steps ahead that require both political will and political courage from the current administration and from Zelensky personally. I hope that he has this courage, ”the journalist noted.

Vyshinsky was detained in Ukraine from May 2018 to August 2019. The Kiev Court of Appeal lowered it under personal guarantee. At the same time, the case against him about “supporting the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics” and “treason” continues. The next meeting is scheduled for September 16. According to him, the criminal case is an “absolutely political history” invented by the ex-president of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and his entourage.