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Journalist Vyshinsky’s attorneys don’t rule out he can be exchanged

On May 17, Vyshinsky was charged with high treason and arrested for two months by the Kherson City Court

Kirill Vyshinsky EPA-EFE/YEVHEN KOTENKO/POOL

Kirill Vyshinsky

© EPA-EFE/YEVHEN KOTENKO/POOL

KIEV, June 4. /TASS/. Defense attorneys of arrested Editor-in-Chief of RIA Novosti Ukraine Kirill Vyshinsky do not rule out that Kiev can exchange him for another individual, one of the lawyers, Andrei Domansky, told TASS on Monday.

"Considering my client’s statements made on Friday (that he had been arrested to be exchanged - TASS), we do not rule out this opportunity. However, we know nothing about who Ukraine is going to exchange my client for," the defense attorney noted, adding that the matter should be left to politicians and diplomats. Nor did he comment on the possible swap procedure, explaining that everything depends on the agreements that could be reached. "Since this is pure politics, unfortunately, the provisions of law do not work here," he stressed.

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On May 17, Vyshinsky was charged with high treason and arrested for two months by the Kherson City Court. If found guilty, he may face up to 15 years in prison.

Vyshinsky has dual Ukrainian-Russian citizenship. He became Russian citizen in 2015. Announcing his plans to give up Ukrainian citizenship at a Kherson court, which considered an appeal against his arrest on June 1, Vyshinsky said he considered himself a citizen of the Russian Federation only. He also asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to provide him with legal assistance to be freed.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry demanded that Kiev clear Vyshinsky of all charges and release him.

Meanwhile, the defense team of Ukrainian national Roman Sushchenko sentenced to 12 years in prison for spying in Russia on Monday said it hopes he could be exchanged for Vyshinsky.

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