The Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday confirmed that 40 servicemen have been returned from captivity, in exchange for 44 Ukrainians. The four extra Ukrainians had especially serious injuries and were sent back as a humanitarian gesture, according to Moscow.
The Russians faced grave danger in captivity, the military said in a statement. They will be flown to Moscow to continue their medical treatment and undergo further rehabilitation, officials added.
Russia’s human rights commissioner, Tatyana Moskalkova, confirmed the addition of Ukrainian casualties to the exchange roster later in the day.
“Guided by humanitarian concerns, the Russian Defense Ministry added four seriously injured Ukrainian servicemen to the exchange, which was 40 for 40,” Moskalkova wrote.
Earlier in the day, Russia’s Investigative Committee announced a probe into several French citizens fighting for Ukraine, accusing them of murdering Russian prisoners.
According to the agency, one of the “French mercenaries” published a photo that showed three Russian soldiers executed at point-blank range. Moscow has identified the alleged perpetrators as members of the 92nd Brigade of the Ukrainian military, as well as the infamous neo-Nazi Azov Battalion.