ROSTOV-ON-DON, May 16. /TASS/. As Russia and Ukraine get set to swap 1,000 POWs each as part of an agreement reached at their Istanbul talks, some Ukrainian prisoners of war may secretly be wishing to be kept out of the exchange, Viktor Vodolatsky, first deputy chairman of the State Duma’s Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration, and Relations with Compatriots, said in a conversation with TASS.
"We will return 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers who are being kept on our territory in good conditions, receiving medical treatment. So it’s possible that many of them won’t want to go back to Ukraine," the legislator said.
During the first talks between the delegations of Russia and Ukraine in three years in Istanbul, the sides reached an agreement on exchanging 1,000 prisoners of war from each side.
About talks
On May 16, talks were held between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul. Following the meeting, Moscow and Kiev agreed to swap the prisoners of war under a "1,000 for 1,000" formula, present their concept of the potential future ceasefire, outlining it in detail, as well as continue the negotiation process. Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky who led the Russian delegation at the Istanbul talks said that the Russian side was satisfied with the negotiations’ outcome. He also added that Ukraine requested direct talks between the countries’ leaders and Russia "took note of this request.".