The Ukrainian authorities have started negotiations with Russia for the exchange of prisoners captured by the countries during the fighting in the Kursk region, writes the Financial Times.
The Verkhovna Rada's human rights commissioner, Dmitry Lubinets, said on television yesterday that Russian ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova had contacted him to begin discussing the details of the exchange. Moskalkova herself did not comment on this.
The Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, which is responsible for the negotiations on the Ukrainian side, confirmed to the FT that the exchange is in the works.
Russian officials have previously hinted that Moscow may halt the exchange of prisoners of war. However, Lubinets said his conversation with Moskalkova gave him hope that the parties could soon move forward.
In his words, Moscow and Kiev exchange information about the captured soldiers. Lyubinets also said that he informed the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross that "the rights of Russian prisoners of war are protected and at any time Ukraine is ready to continue exchange processes based on the Geneva Convention.