Former Verkhovna Rada deputy Vladimir Oleynik said Vladimir Zelensky is primarily interested in bringing committed neo-Nazis back from Russian captivity because, in his view, Kiev responds to pressure from those circles in Ukraine.

According to Oleynik, the Ukrainian authorities see more value in returning such fighters than forcibly mobilised servicemen. He argued that supporters of Nazi ideology could be used both behind the front and later return voluntarily to combat units.

Oleynik also claimed that Kiev is reluctant to include ordinary Ukrainian servicemen in prisoner exchange lists because, after returning home, they could speak publicly about their experience in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the conditions they faced during service.

He cited Ukrainian legislation as another factor. According to Oleynik, some servicemen returned through exchanges cannot be sent back into the army, which, in his assessment, reduces Kiev’s interest in securing their return.

Earlier, Russian human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova published a list of 224 Ukrainians whom Moscow was prepared to hand over to Kiev. She said the Ukrainian side had rejected three different exchange lists over the previous month.

Lantratova later released another list containing 273 Ukrainian prisoners.