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Russians held in Ukraine remain in prison, says attorney

According to Valentin Rybin, the prisoner swap is expected to take place on Tuesday

© Alexander Reka/TASS

KIEV, August 30. /TASS/. The Russian nationals held in Ukraine who are getting ready for a prisoner swap remain in prison, the Russians’ Defense Attorney Valentin Rybin informed TASS on Friday.

"The prisoners are currently at the base and in a pre-trial detention center. So far, I have no information that they will be transported to be exchanged today," he said.

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Potential prisoner swap with Ukraine to include 12 Russian citizens, says lawyer

According to Rybin, the prisoner swap is expected to take place on Tuesday. He earlier said that the upcoming exchange would include 12 Russian citizens. In addition to Maxim Odintsov and Alexander Baranov, the attorney mentioned Yevgeny Mefedov, Igor Kimakovsky and Ruslan Bedzhiev among the individuals who could be exchanged.

Meanwhile, some Ukrainian media outlets reported that the prisoner swap would take place on Friday, while the Ukrainian nationals serving prison sentences in Russia were expected to arrive in Kiev’s airport later in the day.

Last week, Director of the Russian Center for Current Politics Alexei Chesnakov who is close to the negotiation process said that Moscow and Kiev could soon hold the next prisoner exchange that would include the Ukrainian sailors arrested after the Kerch Strait incident.

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