+6 Kyiv
Airplane with the Ukrainian political prisoners on board has landed in Boryspil airport, GORDON’s correspondent reports. They were released by Russia within the framework of prisoner swap.
During this exchange 35 Ukrainians arrive in Ukraine. Among them there are Oleg Sentsov, Oleksandr Kolchenko, Volodymyr Balukh, Roman Suschenko, Mykola Karpiuk, Stanislav Klykh, Pavlo Hryb, Evhen Panov, Artur Panov, Edem Bekirov, Oleksii Syzonovych, and also 24 sailors captured by Russian forces in Kerch strait.
Several top officials already arrived to Boryspil. There are President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Attorney General Ruslan Riaboshapka, Minister for Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov and Head of Security Service of Ukraine Ivan Bakanov.
On September 7, Russian photo correspondent Vasiliy Maksimov made several photos near Lefortovo detention center in Moscow. The pictures allegedly showed that Ukrainian political prisoners were transported from the detention center in direction of Vnukovo-2 airport, and exchange was in progress. Later, Interfax reported that buses with the prisoners arrived to the airport.
Nikolai Polozov, lawyer of POW sailors, confirmed, “the process had started”.
Nina Karpachova, Vice-President of the European Ombudsman Institute, said in a comment for GORDON that in a matter of hours there will be a swap in “35-for-35” format.
Two airplanes already launched from Boryspil to Vnukovo carrying Ukrainians and Russians who are taking part in this held persons swap.
