The Ukrainian authorities are conducting negotiations with Russia on the exchange of prisoners of war according to the "all for all" formula.
This was announced by the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense Kyrylo Budanov.
Budanov, who is also the head of the Coordination Staff for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, met with relatives of the Ukrainian prisoners of war and public organizations. He emphasized that the work on prisoner exchanges does not stop; negotiations on the exchange of "all for all" and work on individual exchanges are ongoing.
"The exchange of prisoners of war is a difficult and painful process, but the exchange on the 21st opens up new opportunities for us. The state provides all those who return with everything they need: from basic necessities to rehabilitation and recovery," said the head of the State Administration of Internal Affairs and Communications.
- On the night of September 22, Ukraine exchanged prisoners with Russia. Ukraine returned 215 defenders of Mariupol, including the commanders of the "Azov" regiment, and Putinʼs godfather Viktor Medvedchuk and 55 Russian soldiers were returned to Russia.
- On the afternoon of September 21, it became known that the Russian authorities handed over to Saudi Arabia 10 captured foreigners who fought for Ukraine and were sentenced to death by the occupiers.
- Heads of the Ukrainian special services later said that the exchange was delayed for almost eight hours, but in the end, it took place simultaneously in four countries — Ukraine (on the border with the Russian Federation in the Chernihiv region), Poland (one of the stages), Turkey and Saudi Arabia. The five commanders of the Mariupol defenders — Denys "Redis" Prokopenko, Svyatoslav "Kalyna" Palamar, Serhiy "Volyna" Volynskyi, Oleg Khomenko, and Denys Shlega — will remain in Turkey.