Russia cancels prisoner exchange

Russia canceled a planned prisoner exchange at the last minute on Saturdaysaid the Ukrainian body dealing with the prisoners, quoted by Reuters.

“A new round of prisoner exchange with the Russian side was planned today,” the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported in Telegram late on Saturday evening. “However, it was canceled at the last minute at the request of the Russian side.”

The office of Russian Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

Russia and Ukraine have held numerous prisoner exchanges – most recently on January 8with hundreds of prisoners exchanged so far in the course of the war, which is now in its 11th month.

On Saturday, Moskalkova stated in “Telegram” that Russian soldiers have reported cases of extortion while in Ukrainian captivity.

So far, there is no immediate response from Ukraine to the accusations. Reuters was unable to independently verify Moskalkova’s report.

We remind you that on January 10 in Ankara they met Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova and her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Lubinets. It was then reported that Ukraine and Russia have agreed to exchange 40 prisoners of war – mostly civilians.

It is unclear whether this first-of-its-kind exchange of civilian detainees was thwarted.