Poroshenko: Twenty-three Russian servicemen stay in Ukrainian prisons

Poroshenko said this during a joint briefing with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"I would like to say a few words about Russia's involvement in the chemical attack in Syria and in the aggression against Ukraine in Donbas. This has been going on for four years already. However, from the very first minute of Russia's aggression in eastern Ukraine, Russia categorically denies participation of its armed forces in aggression against Ukraine, involvement in a chemical attack in Syria, participation or some relation to poisoning in Salisbury and so on. Twenty-three Russian soldiers and officers, who now stay in Ukrainian prisons, are the evidence of Russia’s presence [in eastern Ukraine]," Poroshenko said.

As reported, on April 4, the Ukrainian side at a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group on the peaceful settlement of the situation in Donbas expressed its readiness to transfer to Russia 23 persons convicted for crimes against Ukraine's sovereignty in exchange for Ukrainian political prisoners.

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