Moscow, Sept 22, (dpa/GNA) – Ukrainian authorities released from captivity, 55 servicemen fighting for the Russian side, as part of a huge prisoner swap involving some 260 people, the Defence Ministry in Moscow confirmed on Thursday.
The 55 prisoners were members of the Russian army or Russian-aligned separatist forces in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Russian Defence Ministry spokesman, Igor Konashenkov said.
They were taken to Russia for treatment in military hospitals, he said.
Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners on Wednesday. Kiev said 205 Ukrainian soldiers returned from Russian captivity, including five commanders seen as heroes for having led the defence of the besieged port city of Mariupol in the spring.
The Moscow-controlled separatists also released 10 foreigners, five Britons and two US citizens.
Turkey and Saudi Arabia said they mediated the exchange.
According to Kiev’s account, its decision to release imprisoned pro-Kremlin Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, a confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin, proved crucial.
With Medvedchuk’s release alone, the freedom of 200 Ukrainian prisoners was secured, said Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
GNA