Ukraine Continues to Sabotage Prisoner Exchange: Russian Diplomat

"(Ukraine) continues to sabotage the prisoner exchange process in every possible way, doing everything to move away from real concrete work that has yielded results to endless international political performances, considering such procrastination as a media tool to promote its interests," the diplomat wrote on her Telegram channel, TASS reported.

"So be it. The problem is that they do not take back their own people. (Vladimir) Zelensky does not need the 630 captured Ukrainian citizens. He has given them up," she pointed out.

Zakharova recalled that earlier this year the Russian Defense Ministry had sent Ukraine proposals for the transfer of 935 Ukrainian prisoners of war as part of the exchange. "At the same time, (Kiev) refused to return (in other words, take back) more than 600 Ukrainian servicemen without any reasons," the diplomat noted. "As of today, the list includes 630 Ukrainian prisoners of war, whom Russia is ready to immediately transfer to Kiev on equal terms," she emphasized.

"Therefore, when you hear that Russia allegedly does not want to conduct an exchange and does not want to give Ukraine its people - this is a lie. There are figures and facts," the spokeswoman concluded.