ROSTOV-ON-DON, June 15. /TASS/. The family of Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, who currently serves prison time in the Federal Correctional Facility, Danbury, views the possibility of a prisoner exchange between the two countries with optimism, Yaroshenko’s spouse Viktoria told TASS Tuesday.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that Yaroshenko serves sentence in the US, noting that the man was taken to the US from a third country, adding that he experiences serious health problems after over 10 years in prison, but the prison administration ignores it. Putin also stated his readiness to discuss a prisoner exchange during his talks with US President Joe Biden.

"If previously I live in accordance with the proverb ‘hope for the best, prepare for the worst," then now I have some more optimistic hopes. May this [Yaroshenko’s release] finally happen," Viktoria told TASS.

She added that the prisoner exchange is also being actively discussed in the US society. US media actively discuss the fate of Trevor Reed, sentenced to 9 years in prison in Russia over violence against a representative of power. Reed’s relatives also hope that Moscow decided to hand him over to the US.