Russia’s commissioner denies talks on large prisoner exchange with Ukraine

Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova denies talks about a large prisoner exchange with Ukraine.

FILE PHOTO: Commissioner for Human Rights Tatyana Moskalkova attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia June 6, 2022. Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via REUTERS

Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova said Tuesday that she did not talk to her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Lubinets in Turkey last week about a possible prisoner exchange.

Turkish ombudsman Seref Malkoc said Monday that Ukraine conveyed to Russia a list of 800 people and that the Russian ombudsman provided a list of 200 to be swapped.

“In my negotiations with Ombudsman of Ukraine Dmytro Lubinets in Ankara there was never any talk of exchanges, and I always emphasize that these issues are within the competence of the Russian Ministry of Defense,” Moskalkova said on the Telegram messaging app.

“Moreover, I believe that such an unequal exchange cannot be considered fair.”

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