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September 9, 2019

Russia and Ukraine Swap Dozens of Prisoners in Sign of Thawing Relations
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Russia and Ukraine swapped dozens of prisoners Saturday - a move that
many are hailing as a major step toward easing tensions between the two
nations following Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea. This is Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelensky.

President Volodymyr Zelensky: "We have agreed on the first stage of
unblocking of our dialogue and on the first step in ending the war: the
return of our prisoners of war, our soldiers, our sailors and our
territories."

Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov was one of those freed in the exchange.
Amnesty International said in a statement, "Oleg Sentsov and many others
jailed following Russia's occupation and illegal annexation of Crimea
are simply victims of politically-motivated prosecution and they should
never have been imprisoned in the first place. While it is a relief that
they are now free, it is a travesty to see them being used as human
bargaining chips in political deals."


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