Ukraine captures top Putin ally Viktor Medvedchuk; Zelenskyy proposes prisoner swap

Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian authorities, on Tuesday, confirmed the detention of Viktor Medvedchuk, a fugitive Ukrainian oligarch and a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he was detained in a special operation carried out by the SBU secret service of the country. Zelenskyy took to social media and posted a photo of Medvedchuk wearing a camouflage uniform with a Ukrainian flag patch. The report of Medvedchuk's detention was also confirmed by Ivan Bakanov, the head of Ukraine's national security agency on Telegram. 

"You can be a pro-Russian politician and work for the aggressor state for years. You may have been hiding from justice lately. You can even wear a Ukrainian military uniform for camouflage," the security service said in a statement released on social media. 

"But will it help you escape punishment? Not at all! Shackles are waiting for you and the same goes for traitors to Ukraine like you," added the statement.

It is to mention that Medvedchuk leads the pro-Russian Opposition Platform - "For Life" party. He was under house arrest before the war began. However, Medvedchuk fled after the Russian troops attacked Ukraine earlier in February this year.

Meanwhile, while addressing his nation on Tuesday night, Zelenskyy offered to exchange Medvedchuk for Ukrainian boys and girls who are now in Russian imprisonment. "It is very symbolic that Medvedchuk was detained on Cosmonautics Day. He has been hiding for 48 days. And finally decided to try to escape from our country. Well, for this "astronaut" - in the bad sense of the word - the famous "Let's go!" did not work," Zelenskyy said in the video.  

Zelenskyy offers Russia to release Ukrainians in exchange of Medvedchuk

Proposing prisoner swap with detained Putin ally, Zelenskyy stressed if Medvedchuk chose a military uniform for himself, he falls under the rules of wartime. "I think it is especially cynical of him to use military camouflage. He tried to disguise himself like that. Such a "soldier". Such a "patriot". Well, if Medvedchuk chose a military uniform for himself, he falls under the rules of wartime."

"I offer the Russian Federation to exchange this guy of yours for our boys and our girls who are now in Russian captivity. It is therefore important that our law enforcement officials and military also consider this possibility," he added.

Reacting to Ukraine's claim, the Kremlin said they were investigating the information posted by Zelesnkyy and SBU. "So many fakes are now coming from Ukraine. Everything needs to be checked," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.   

(Image: Zelenskiy_official/ Telegram/AP)