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Reporter Vyshinsky currently in Ukraine, says attorney

The attorney noted pressure from the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office related to Ukraine's offer to include his client in the prisoner swap program

Kirill Vyshinsky Andrei Ivolgin/TASS

Kirill Vyshinsky

© Andrei Ivolgin/TASS

KIEV, August 30. /TASS/. RIA Novosti Ukraine Editor-in-Chief Kirill Vyshinsky is still in Ukraine, his attorney Andrey Domansky stated.

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Kremlin hails Vyshinsky’s release but expects Kiev to implement Minsk accords

"I would like to clean up the many rumors currently around him. Kirill Vyshinsky is in Ukraine," the attorney told reporters on Friday.

Domansky did not provide a clear answer to the reporters’ question on whether Vyshinsky has changed his stance on prisoner exchange with Russia. "I cannot say anything for sure, I can only assume. I also note the amount of pressure on me from the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office," he added.

In the early hours of Friday, the Ukrainian media reported that the exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine would take place that day. There were also unofficial reports on Vyshinsky being one of the exchanged prisoners. However, the administration of the Ukrainian president stated that the exchange process between Kiev and Moscow is not over yet. Later, the Ukrainian Security Service informed that the exchange would not take place on Friday, and that its final date had not been determined yet.

Earlier on Wednesday, a court in Kiev released Vyshinsky on his own recognizance. The court ruled that the journalist is obliged to report to court upon demand, refrain from contacting witnesses in the case and notify the court about any changes concerning his place of residence and work.

On May 15, 2018, the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) carried out a large-scale operation against RIA Novosti Ukraine staff members, accusing them of high treason. The news outlet’s Chief Editor Kirill Vyshinsky was arrested. The SBU issued a statement claiming that "a network of media structures, which Moscow used for carrying out a hybrid war" against Kiev had been exposed. Charges against Vyshinsky are particularly based on a number of the journalist’s articles dedicated to the 2014 events in Crimea. If found guilty, he may face up to 15 years behind bars.

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