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Ukraine-Russia prisoner swap based on '35 for 35' formula, says Russian ombudsperson

"Today we can finally say safely that the mutual return of Ukrainian and Russian citizens has been conducted," Tatyana Moskalkova said

Russia's Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova Artyom Geodakyan/TASS

Russia's Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova

© Artyom Geodakyan/TASS

MOSCOW, September 7. /TASS/. The mutual return of Ukrainian and Russian citizens has been conducted, Russian Human Rights Ombudsperson Tatyana Moskalkova said on Saturday.

"Today we can finally say safely that the mutual return of Ukrainian and Russian citizens has been conducted," she said.

The swap was based on the ‘35 for 35’ formula, Moskalkova said. "35 people from one side and 35 people - from the other," she said.

Preparations for exchange of detainees between Moscow and Kiev intensified after Vladimir Zelensky was elected Ukrainian President. The active stage of negotiations and formalization of legal procedures regarding the citizens of the two countries to be put on the list started a couple of weeks ago. On September 5, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the exchange would be large-scale and can serve as a step towards improving the bilateral relationship.

Nord Stream gas leak investigation

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