Prisoner exchange starts in Moscow
Credit to Author: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE| Date: Sat, 07 Sep 2019 17:18:24 +0000
MOSCOW: A long-awaited exchange of prisoners between Moscow and Kiev has begun, Russian state television reported on Saturday, broadcasting footage of buses leaving a jail in the capital.
“Buses have left the Lefortovo jail within the framework of preparations for a prisoner exchange,” the Rossiya 24 news channel said.
Agence France-Presse journalists at the scene saw two buses with tinted windows leaving the high-security prison in Moscow under a police convoy.
The channel said the buses had arrived at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport, where there is a terminal for government flights.
On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the “large-scale” prisoner exchange with Ukraine was being finalized.
The Russian leader said the swap would be “a huge step towards normalising relations” with Kiev.
It would be the first major exchange of prisoners between Ukraine and Russia since the conflict over eastern Ukraine broke out in 2014.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky raised the prospect of a prisoner swap after the comedian-turned-politician swept to power in May.
His election has revived peace efforts, with the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France expected to meet this month for talks.
Last week media reports said the prisoner exchange was imminent and some Ukrainian prisoners had been moved to Moscow from their jails.