Russia, US continue to communicate on swapping prisoners – ambassador in Washington
Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov said that the intelligence services of Russia and the United States in 2021 established a line of communication to discuss the exchange of prisoners
NEW YORK, September 22. /TASS/. Russian and US special services continue to communicate about swapping prisoners, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov told reporters.
He made the statement after visiting Russian nationals in a US federal administrative detention facility in Brooklyn.
The ambassador said Russian and US special services in 2021 set up a line of communication to discuss exchanging prisoners. That has helped the return of Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko to Russia, he said.
"I have not heard that it stopped working," Antonov said. "Let our special services work together to make sure as many Russians as possible return home."
"I do not believe and refuse to confirm the reports that some games are being played there," the ambassador said, when asked about the allegations that Americans are deliberately detained in Russia to be used in prisoner exchanges. "No one is going to hunt specifically for Americans."
But he said there is a "hunt" for Russians in various countries, which goes on even as there is no "real accusations" against them.