Wife of Putin-ally detained in Ukraine urges captured UK troops' kin to seek prisoner swap

Oksana Marchenko, the celebrity wife of Viktor Medvedchuk, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who was detained by Ukrainian authorities, has called on relatives and friends of British troops captured by Russia to request Prime Minister Boris Johnson to initiate a prisoner swap for the release of her husband, TASS reported.

Marchenko said that she is yet to know the whereabouts of her husband, a fugitive Ukrainian oligarch who was detained by Ukrainian authorities on Tuesday, April 12. 

Speaking at Russia’s Public Chamber in Moscow, Oksana Marchenko said that it is impossible to provide legal protection and medical supervision as she is unaware of her husband's whereabouts. Earlier on April 15, Marchenko had said that she urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to release her husband, but he has not yet responded to her request, as per the TASS report. 

She has accused Ukrainian officials of torturing her husband and referred to him as a "political prisoner." Marchenko insisted that she has "no doubt" that her husband was beaten within hours after his arrest, according to an AP report. She requested the authorities to stop the "physical and mental torture" and reveal her husband's whereabouts.

Viktor Medvedchuk never had 'backstage' relations with Russia: Dmitry Peskov

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on April 12, confirmed that Medvedchuk had been detained and offered to exchange Medvedchuk for Ukrainians held captive by the Russians. Reportedly, Medvedchuk was detained in a special operation carried out by Ukraine’s state security service. Meanwhile, Russia has denied having "backstage" ties with Viktor Medvedchuk. 

Earlier on April 13, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed that Ukrainian leader Viktor Medvedchuk "never had any backstage relations with Russia," as per a TASS report.  Peskov stated that Medvedchuk is well-known for his support for normal, mutually beneficial, partner ties between Ukraine and Russia.

Peskov added that Medvedchuk has always called for peace and has opposed war and escalation of conflict in Ukraine's Donbass. He further stated that Russia and Donbass need to be thankful to Medvedchuk for organising exchanges of detainees and his work on humanitarian issues. 

(With inputs from AP, Image: AP)