Arrested Putin’s ally, oligarch Medvedchuk offers to be swapped for Mariupol guards, people

Pro-Russian opposition figure and oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, who was arrested by Ukraine a few days ago, has asked Russian and Ukrainian presidents to swap him for Mariupol guards and people.

 

Mariupol, a key target for Russia as of now, has been besieged since February, with people there, who were unable to flee, in “catastrophic conditions.”

 

“I, Viktor Medvedchuk, son of Vladimir, would like to address the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky: please swap me for Mariupol guards and the people who are there now and are unable to leave the territory via a humanitarian corridor,” Medvedchuk has said in his video address.

 

Medvedchuk, Putin’s god-parent, was a member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the leader of the pro-Russian opposition Life party.

 

He has been under home arrest since 2021 on treason and attempted robbery of national resources charges, as well as aiding and abetting the activities of a terrorist organization.

 

Kyiv said Medvedchuk escaped home arrest at the end of February, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine.

 

Soon he was arrested, dressed in military uniform.

 

Zelensky offered Russia shortly after to swap him for Ukrainian captives which Moscow did not accept.