Executed Wagner mercenary voluntarily agreed to be exchanged, says President’s Office
Frame video with Yevgeny Nuzhin (Photo:Screenshot of the Gray Zone video / Telegram)
Captured Wagner mercenary Yevgeny Nuzhin voluntarily consented to being a part of prisoner exchange with Russia, Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak told the independent Russian news channel TV Rain (Dozhd) on Nov. 15.
Nuzhin, who was captured by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in early September, then gave an interview in which he declared his hatred for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and his desire to join the Ukrainian troops to fight against the Russian military.
He was seemingly executed by sledgehammer upon his return to Russia, according to a video posted on Nov 12 by the GREY ZONE Telegram channel, which is said to be close to the Wagner PMC and its nominal owner, Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin.
According to Podolyak, Nuzhin went through the official procedure for the exchange of prisoners of war and signed a voluntary agreement to the exchange.
"We have a very simple approach,” he said.
“A captured serviceman can sign a voluntary refusal from the exchange procedure. And this will be recorded with us.”
Podolyak also denied the reports that Nuzhin was exchanged for 20 Ukrainian prisoners of war. According to him, Ukraine returned 47 of its servicemen, and Russia returned "a certain number" of its servicemen.
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