Russia confirms prisoner exchange with Ukraine

Moscow (Reuters) – Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova confirmed on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had carried out a prisoner exchange on Saturday.

Moskalkova said that among those returned to Russia were four employees of state atomic energy corporation Rosatom, soldiers and some other civilians.

“Early this morning they landed on Russian soil,” Moskalkova said in an online post.

On Saturday an exchange of truck drivers between Russia and Ukraine was also conducted, Moskalkova said, with 32 Russian truck drivers, 20 Ukrainians and a number of Belarus nationals exchanged.

Ukraine Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk had said on Saturday that 12 of its soldiers were being returned after a prisoner exchange with Russia, the third such swap since the start of conflict.

Vereshchuk said that 14 civilians were also returning to Ukraine as part of the deal.

Moscow has denied targeting civilians in what it calls a “special military operation” aimed at demilitarising its neighbour. Ukraine and its Western allies call this a baseless pretext for war.