Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov said that he could not say anything about the information that appeared earlier about the possible exchange of two citizens of the country detained in Ukraine. “Yes, I saw this (media) report, and I also saw the denial later. Therefore, unfortunately, I cannot say anything,” TASS quotes Mr. Peskov as saying. He noted that “there is very conflicting information coming out.”

Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dvitry Peskov
Photo: Dmitry Azarov, Kommersant / buy photo

A source from Gazeta.Ru reported that Alexander Alexandrov and Evgeniy Erofeev were exchanged for Ukrainian military personnel. “They were exchanged for several people, among whom were both Ukrainian citizens and citizens of other countries who fought for the Ukrainian side. I’ll only add that our guys were subjected to cruel torture in captivity,” said the publication’s interlocutor. Later, Evgeniy Erofeev’s lawyer Oksana Sokolovskaya denied this information.

Let us recall that during the battle near the town of Shchastya in the Lugansk region on May 16, Russians Alexander Alexandrov and Evgeniy Erofeev, whom Ukrainian security forces call active military intelligence officers, were detained. On May 26, the General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine began an investigation into their possible participation in terrorist activities in eastern Ukraine.

Read more about Russian citizens detained in Ukraine in the Kommersant article “Intelligence came under surveillance.”

Dmitry Peskov did not comment on the information about the release of Russian citizens in Ukraine