On May 18, Russian Duma will consider draft law banning exchange of Azovstal defenders

Kremlin propaganda agency RIA Novosti reported that the Duma will stage a propaganda show to demonstrate opposition to a prisoner exchange for Azovstal soldiers. Earlier, RIA reported that Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said Azovstal POWs should be put on trial.

Photo: REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Malyar said that Volodin’s rhetoric  about the prisoner exchange is  intended for internal propaganda. According to Ms Malyar, negotiations are underway and the rescue process continues.

According to the Russian state media TASS, Russia’s investigative committee plans to interrogate Azovstal defenders who were taken out of Mariupol with the intention of trumping up charges of war crimes against civilians in Donbas.