Russian-Ukrainian Prisoner Swap Said 'Under Way'

[TomSea]

Russian-Ukrainian Prisoner Swap Said 'Under Way'

Ukraine and Russia have reportedly begun a highly anticipated exchange of prisoners after months of intense negotiations at the highest levels, a seemingly rare breakthrough that observers say could pave the way for fresh talks on ending a five-year war between Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Two Ukrainian government officials confirmed to RFE/RL media reports suggesting the mutual handover was under way, with Russian state TV showing buses moving between a Moscow prison and the city's Vnukovo Airport and reports of government flights between the capitals.

They said they could not officially comment until the process -- which outside reports suggest could involve a combined 70 or so individuals -- was completed.

Read more at: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-exchange-prisoners/30151327.html

The Moscow Times:

Signaling Readiness for Thaw, Russia and Ukraine Swap Prisoners
The exchange brings peace talks between the neighboring countries closer, analysts say.
By Evan Gershkovich


Ukrainian prisoners left Moscow's Lefortovo prison earlier Saturday. Andrei Vasilyev / TASS

Russia and Ukraine on Saturday swapped 35 prisoners each, including filmmaker Oleg Sentsov and 24 Ukrainian sailors, in a key step toward bringing an end to the war in eastern Ukraine that has claimed more than 13,000 lives since 2014.

Laden with wide-ranging implications, the move underlines new Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s commitment to his campaign promise to end the conflict in the Donbass region between government forces and Russian-backed separatists. It also is a signal from the Kremlin to the European Union that it is willing to play ball, political analysts say.

“This is the most logical way to start peace talks,” said Andrei Kortunov, director general of the Russian International Affairs Council, a research group set up by the Kremlin. “And with Sentsov included in the swap, it represents quite a significant step by Moscow.”

Read more at: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/09/07/signaling-readiness-for-thaw-russia-and-ukraine-swap-prisoners-a67090

The Moscow Times is a bit free in what they  publish, not totally. They have pulled some stories before.

Some good coverage at twitter account Glastnost Gone

Ruthen I have no idea who runs this, Ruthen shows an Asiatic-type looking woman. Sometimes in reading about over there, one hears of "Ruthenians" as an ethnic Slav group.

[TomSea]

There is some question about this prisoner swap per this Oleg Sentsov being let go. What does he know about that plane that was shot down! I wonder myself, I might check Dutch news sites to see, if they are the one's especially disappointed in this turn of events.

Film director Oleg Sentsov and MH17 suspect among those freed in Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap
By Denis Lapin, Olga Pavlova, Bianca Britton and Sarah Dean, CNN

Kiev, Ukraine and Moscow, Russia (CNN)A man suspected of involvement in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 that killed 298 people has been released along with 69 other prisoners from Russia and Ukraine in a long-awaited exchange, according to Ukrainian and Russia state news agencies.

The return of 35 Ukranian prisoners and 35 Russian prisoners is a move that could ease tensions between the two countries after Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014.

"Today we can finally say safely that the mutual return of Ukrainian and Russian citizens has been conducted," Russian Human Rights Ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova said, Russian state news agency TASS reported Saturday.

Read more at: https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/07/europe/ukraine-russia-prisoner-swap-intl/index.html