Ukraine preparing for new prisoner swaps, says intelligence
Read also: Who was swapped and why: Ukraine’s largest prisoner swap of the war
“The Coordination Headquarters (for the Treatment of Prisoners of War) is working on this issue,” he said.
“Therefore, without a break, after this exchange, after this return, preparations are already underway in parallel for the next exchanges. And as General (Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo) Budanov said, we will return everyone.”
Read also: Azov fighters who survived Olenivka among those returning home in latest prisoner swap
According to Yusov, Ukraine has a sufficient “exchange fund,” which is constantly being replenished.
“Today, the Armed Forces of Ukraine both in the east and south, in the Kharkiv and Kherson areas are doing everything possible to actively replenish the exchange fund,” the spokesman said.
“And this process continues.”
Ukraine returned 215 people, including 108 defenders of the Azovstal Steelworks in Mariupol, from Russian captivity on Sept. 21, as part of a large prisoner swap with Russia.
The 215 people released from Russian captivity included military personnel from the State Border Guard Service, the National Police, Ground and Naval Forces, National Guard of Ukraine, territorial defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, State Customs Service, etc.
Read also: Ukrainian defenders return from Russian captivity – photo report
The prisoner swap took place in Ukraine’s Chernihiv Oblast. At the same time, five Azov commanders were sent to Turkey under personal guarantees of protection provided by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. According to the agreements, all of them will stay in Turkey until the end of the war in Ukraine.
The list of those released from Russian captivity also included 10 foreigners, with some being “sentenced” to death by a sham “court” in Russian-occupied Donbas. All of them arrived in Saudi Arabia, which acted as a mediator.
Five commanders who were present at the Azovstal Steelworks in Mariupol were exchanged for 55 Russian prisoners of war. At the same time, Ukraine exchanged 200 of its citizens for Viktor Medvedchuk, the former leader of the Opposition Platform – For Life Party (banned in June 2022), who has been charged with treason.
Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
