Ukraine has told Russia that if it wants the Kremlin’s most high-profile ally in the country freed, it must release prisoners of war, as the US is likely to deploy additional weapons after Russia’s strongest indication yet that the battle will continue.
For the first time, US President Joe Biden called Russia’s attack on Ukraine genocide, stating, ‘We’ll let the lawyers decide whether or not it qualifies, but it definitely feels that way to me.’
Russia has denied targeting civilians and said that claims of war crimes levelled against it by Ukraine and the West were cooked up to discredit Russian forces.
On Tuesday, Ukraine announced the arrest of Viktor Medvedchuk, the leader of the Opposition Platform – For Life party.
Authorities say that he escaped house arrest after a treason case was filed in February.
The pro-Russian politician has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that President Vladimir Putin is his daughter’s godfather.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated in an early morning address on Wednesday, ‘I propose to the Russian Federation: trade this guy of yours for our soldiers and women being held in Russian captivity.’
Ivan Bakanov, the head of Ukraine’s security service, wrote on Facebook with a photo of Medvedchuk in handcuffs that operatives ‘conducted this lightning-fast and perilous multi-level special operation’ to capture him.
According to the Tass news agency, a Kremlin spokesman said that he had seen the photo but couldn’t say whether it was authentic.
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