Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is offering to swap a captured Russian oligarch for Ukrainians being held captive by Moscow as the conflict between the two countries approaches its seventh week.
Zelensky, in a video address on Tuesday, discussed Ukraine’s detainment of Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Russian member of Ukraine’s Parliament, before proposing the prisoner swap.
“I offer the Russian Federation to exchange this guy of yours for our boys and our girls who are now in Russian captivity,” Zelensky said. “It is therefore important that our law enforcement officials and military also consider this possibility.”
The Ukrainian president said “we will establish the full truth about all these savages,” adding that no matter “how much time and effort it takes, we will find them all.”
He also said Medvedchuk’s captivity should be an “example.”
“And let Medvedchuk be an example for you. Even the former oligarch did not escape, not to mention much more ordinary criminals from the Russian boondocks. We will get everyone,” Zelensky said.
Ukrainian officials earlier on Tuesday revealed that the country’s forces captured Medvedchuk. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine posted a photo on Twitter of Medvedchuk wearing handcuffs.
“You can be a pro-Russian politician and work for the aggressor state for years. You may be hiding from justice lately. You can even wear a Ukrainian military uniform for camouflage… But will it help you escape punishment? Not at all!” the account wrote, according to a Twitter translation.
Medvedchuk is the leader of Ukraine’s Opposition Platform — For Life, which is a pro-Russian party. He is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has claimed that the Russian leader is his daughter’s godfather, Reuters noted.
He was put on house arrest last year after being accused of committing treason and attempting to steal resources in Crimea, but he ultimately escaped, according to the news service.
Zelensky on Tuesday said it was “especially cynical” that Medvedchuk was wearing military camouflage when he was detained, arguing that wearing such clothes means he “falls under the rules of wartime.”
“I think it is especially cynical of him to use military camouflage. He tried to disguise himself like that. Such a ‘soldier.’ Such a ‘patriot,’” Zelensky said.
“Well, if Medvedchuk chose a military uniform for himself, he falls under the rules of wartime,” he added.