Exchange of 1000 for 1000 people: "we are working to ensure that our people return home as soon as possible" - Umerov

As a result of negotiations in Istanbul, Ukraine and Russia managed to reach an agreement on the exchange of prisoners of war "1000 for 1000". Today, a meeting of the Council of the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War was held to agree on a plan of action and implement this agreement as soon as possible.

This was reported by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, reports UNN.

Today, on behalf of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a meeting of the Council of the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War was held. The Ministry of Defense, the Main Intelligence Directorate, the SBU, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Office of the Ombudsman gathered to agree on a joint plan of action and implement this agreement as soon as possible. We will report the elaborated decisions, based on the results of today's meeting, to the President tomorrow

Umerov added that Ukraine consistently advocates the exchange of "all for all" and the relevant state bodies are moving step by step towards this goal in order to release all Ukrainian prisoners of war.

He also reminded that today Ukraine commemorates the victims of the genocide of the Crimean Tatar people.

This is another reason to remind about our political prisoners in Crimea - hundreds of people who have been held in Russian prisons for years for their position, for their identity, for not submitting to the occupation. They are tortured, they are denied the right to a fair trial, their families are under constant pressure. Our duty is to release everyone

Recall

UNN reported that Ukraine and Russia discussed the possibility of a large-scale exchange of prisoners according to the formula "1000 for 1000" during negotiations , Defense Minister of Ukraine Rustem Umerov told journalists on May 16.