Pro-Russian orthodox priest exchanged for US national
US citizen released from captivity of occupants (Photo:Andriy Yermak / Telegram)
In the latest prisoner swap with Russia, a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), convicted of treason in Ukraine, has been exchanged for U.S. citizen Suedi Murekezi, Ukrainian Military Intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov told Ukrainian TV broadcasters on Dec. 14.
Yusov said that Russian troops captured activist Murekezi in Kherson when they occupied the city earlier this year.
“I can reveal an interesting tidbit: today, Russian Telegram channels announced they took in a UOC-MP priest, who was convicted for treason in Ukraine,” said Yusov.
“I can say that he was instrumental in a U.S. citizen being freed and having the ability to return home.”
The official added that more prisoner swaps are being worked on.
On Dec. 14, White House National Security spokesman John Kirby announced that Suedi Murekezi was freed from Russian captivity in a Ukraine-Russia prisoner swap, along with 64 Ukrainian defenders.
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