https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykJutRynyPU&t=3s
On the night of September 22, the Ukrainian authorities announced the largest exchange of prisoners since the beginning of the Russian invasion. Kyiv managed to return 215 Ukrainian soldiers, including more than 100 defenders of Azovstal. According to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, for 200 prisoners Russia received the politician Viktor Medvedchuk, who is accused of treason in Ukraine. Five senior officers from among the defenders of Mariupol were exchanged for 55 Russian prisoners of war. The Russian authorities have not yet officially commented on the exchange.
The exchange, in which several states were involved at once, was kept secret until the last moment. The first data about him leaked to the Ukrainian media and Telegram channels only on Wednesday evening, September 21. Officially, the Ukrainian authorities confirmed the exchange after midnight, when the national telethon showed the meeting of President Volodymyr Zelensky with the head of his office, Andriy Yermak.
Before that, the President of the Russian Federation V. Putin at 9 am Moscow time addressed the citizens of his country and announced a partial mobilization. He referred to the decision of the self-proclaimed republics, as well as the occupying authorities of the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions to hold referendums on joining the Russian Federation, and stated that Moscow would do "everything to ensure safe conditions for referendums."
In this regard, he declared his agreement with the proposal of the RF Ministry of Defense to carry out partial mobilization. The corresponding decree has already been signed, the chambers of the Federal Assembly have been informed about the decision, mobilization begins on the same day, Putin said.
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