GROZNY, March 7. /TASS/. Head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov has denied Western and Ukrainian news reports that there is a "black market" for exchanging prisoners of war in Russia.

He said news media falsely reported that Chechens allegedly bought out and brought to Grozny a Ukrainian prisoners of war named Vyacheslav Levitsky in order to later exchange him for a Chechen. Kadyrov said that the man had surrendered to fighters of the Akhmat unit because he was wounded.

"As a matter of fact, after his treatment, we handed over Vyacheslav Levitsky and two other captives to the Ukrainian side. In return, we were able to bring back to their homeland three Russian military servicemen, who are not natives of the Chechen Republic. The procedure took place strictly within international law, with active support from the Russian Defense Ministry. Therefore, I want to make it perfectly clear that there are no black markets for the exchange of prisoners of war and torture against them either in Russia or in the Chechen Republic," Kadyrov wrote on Telegram.

He said Levitsky's legs were broken and his hands frostbitten when he surrendered.

"Unfortunately, Vyacheslav had to have his limbs amputated due to gangrene. But Western media say that we paid someone money to buy Vyacheslav as he was dying, brought him to Grozny, cut off his arms and legs in order to later exchange him for a Chechen," Kadyrov said.