“I suggest to the Russian Federation to exchange this for your boyfriend for our boys and girls in Russian captivity. That is why it is important that our law enforcement agencies and the military also consider this possibility,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky noted that Medvedchuk had been in hiding for more than 40 days, and it is very symbolic that he was arrested on Cosmonautics Day on April 12.
“He hid for 48 days. And finally decided to try to escape from our country. (..) I consider the use of military camouflage. [bēgšanā] for being very cynical on his part. He tried to disguise himself in this way. Here is such a “warrior”. That’s the kind of “patriot,” Zelensky added.
Zelensky had announced on Telegram on Tuesday that the Ukrainian Security Service had arrested pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk in a special operation and fled house arrest on February 27.
Zelensky published a photo on social media showing Medvedchuk in camouflage and handcuffed, and promised to post details later.
Medvedchuk supports closer ties with Moscow, and the Ukrainian media has called him Putin’s wife, because Russian President Vladimir Putin is the godfather of Medvedchuk’s daughter.
Medvedchuk is considered Russia’s most influential political ally in Kiev.
In Ukraine, he deserved condemnation for continuing to do business in Russia when it cracked down on Ukraine in 2014, annexed Crimea and continued to destabilize the Donbass.
Medvedchuk was informed last year that he was suspected of treason and terrorist financing, and was placed under continuous house arrest.
