Ukraine on Tuesday announced that it has apprehended Viktor Medvedchuk, the leader of the Opposition Platform - For Life party, and Kremlin's most high-profile ally. Further, Ukraine warned Russia that they would let him go only when Russia releases prisoners of war.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday morning, "I propose to the Russian Federation: exchange this guy of yours for our guys and girls now held in Russian captivity."
Posting a photo of Medvedchuk in handcuffs, Ivan Bakanov, the head of Ukraine's security service, took to social media to comment that operatives "conducted this lightning-fast and dangerous multi-level special operation" to arrest him.
A Russian spokesperson said that he is aware of the photo but could not say whether it was genuine, as cited by the Tass news agency.
Ukrainian marines surrendered in Mariupol
Meanwhile, more than a thousand Ukrainian marines have surrendered in the besieged Ukrainian port of Mariupol, Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday of Moscow's main target in the eastern Donbas region which it has yet to bring under its control.
If the Russians seize the Azovstal industrial district, where the marines have been holed up, they would be in full control of Mariupol, the lynchpin between Russian-held areas to the west and east providing a land corridor for troops and supplies. It would be the first major city to fall to Russian forces since they invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Thousands are believed to have been killed under a near-seven week siege of Mariupol and Russia has been massing thousands of troops in the area for a new assault, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
(With inputs from agencies)
