You're reading: Russia may transfer convicts Balukh, Hryb, Klykh, Kolchenko to Ukraine

Five Ukrainian citizens, who have been convicted in Russia on various counts and put in the Moscow Lefortovo prison, may be transferred to the home country, an informed source told Interfax.

“The transfer of five convicts, who have been moved to Moscow, to Ukraine for continuing to serve the sentences pronounced by Russian courts is under consideration,” the source said.

“The format of this procedure is being discussed,” he said.

Interfax has yet to obtain a formal confirmation to this information.

The Memorial human rights center said on Tuesday that five convicted citizens of Ukraine had been moved from penitentiaries to the Moscow Lefortovo prison.

Center for Current Politics Director Alexei Chesnakov does not rule out a pending exchange of captives. “Progress is also possible in the humanitarian sphere. I will not be surprised to see an exchange of captives in the coming weeks. (…) This includes the sailors, although this is not an issue addressed by the Normandy format but rather an item on the bilateral agenda of Russia and Ukraine, just like the whole Azov and Kerch story,” Chesnakov told the media outlet Aktualnye Kommentarii in an interview.