Medvedchuk appeals to Zelensky, Putin to swap him for besieged Mariupol residents, defenders

Vladimir Putin’s crony Viktor Medvedchuk, earlier arrested by the SBU while trying to flee the country, has addressed the Ukrainian and Russian presidents with a proposal to exchange him for defenders and residents of Mariupol.

That’s according to an SBU statement, released via Telegram, Ukrinform reports

"I’d like to address President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin with a proposal to exchange me for defenders and residents of Mariupol, those remaining in a besieged city without safe access to humanitarian corridors to flee the area," he said.

Russia's aggression has caused one of the biggest humanitarian catastrophes in Mariupol. The invaders have been bombarding civilians, blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid, forcibly deporting Ukrainians to Russia, and pummeling the city.

At the same time, according to various estimates, about 120,000 civilians remain in besieged Mariupol, while fighters of the Azov Regiment and the 36th Marine Brigade continue to defend the war-torn city.

The SBU detained Viktor Medvedchuk on April 12 as the Russian FSB tried to extract the fugitive lawmaker to Russia via Transnistria.