Russian ombudswoman says Moscow negotiating ‘large’ prisoner swap with Ukraine

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia’s ombudswoman said on Tuesday that Moscow is currently negotiating a “large exchange” of prisoners with Ukraine, but it has not yet reached a deal on the issue with Kyiv.

“An agreement on a large exchange has not yet been reached,” Tatyana Moskalkova said at a news conference in the capital Moscow, according to Russian state news agency Tass.

She said that Moscow previously gave Kyiv two separate lists concerning the exchange of 600 and 900 people, Moskalkova said that they expect the same number of Russian prisoners of war to be returned from Ukraine.

“The military is negotiating this,” she added.

Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on Moskalkova’s remarks.

Russia and Ukraine have carried out almost 60 prisoner exchanges since the war between the two countries began on Feb. 24, 2022.

The last exchange between Moscow and Kyiv took place mid-October when the two countries swapped 95 prisoners of war each.

Last month, both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of slowing down prisoner exchanges.