Equally Appears On Television, President Putin's Allies And Arrested British 'Fighters' Hope For Prisoner Exchange

JAKARTA - President Putin's allies as well as two British 'warriors' who joined Ukraine who were captured and staged by the opposing side, are both hoping to get their release through a prisoner swap.

Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk has asked Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Vladimir Zelensky of Ukraine, to exchange him for soldiers and residents of Mariupol.

"I, Viktor Vladimirovich Medvedchuk, would like to ask Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, that the Ukrainian side exchange me for defenders and residents of Mariupol, who are still present and unable to safely leave the city through humanitarian corridors," he said in a statement, in a video uploaded on the Telegram channel of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) Monday, launched TASS April 18.

According to the press service of the SBU, about 120,000 civilians as well as guerrillas from the Azov battalion and marines from the 36th brigade, are still hiding in Mariupol, which has endured weeks of siege and has been under fire.

President Zelensky announced Medvedchuk was arrested on April 12. On his Telegram channel, President Zelensky posted a photo of a man in handcuffs resembling Medvedchuk, suggesting that the man be exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners.

Later, Medvedchuk's wife, Oksana Marchenko, released several videos saying her husband's detention was politically motivated. She enlisted President Putin's help in getting her husband back through a prisoner swap.

He also spoke to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. In addition, Medvedchuk's wife spoke to the family of the arrested British national asking British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to help reach a swap deal for her husband.

Separately, two British 'fighters' captured in Ukraine by Russian troops appeared on Russian State TV on Monday, asking to be swapped for a pro-Russian politician detained by Ukrainian authorities, citing Reuters.

It was unclear how freely the two men, Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin, could speak. The two spoke separately after being asked by an unidentified man. The footage was broadcasted on state TV channel Rossiya 24.

The two men asked British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to help bring them home, in exchange for Ukraine freeing pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk.

The unidentified man shown on Russian state TV was seen showing two Britons a video on his cell phone of Medvedchuk's wife, Oksana, who appealed over the weekend to have her husband swapped for two British nationals.

"I understand the situation. I want to ask the government to send me back home, I want to see my wife again," said Pinner, looking tired and nervous, after being shown the video.

Pinner appealed directly to PM Johnson on his own behalf and on Aslin's behalf.

"We would like to exchange myself and Aiden Aslin for Mr. Medvedchuk. Obviously, I would really appreciate your help in this matter," he said, saying he spoke some Russian and had been treated well.

The unidentified man is then shown talking to Aslin, who is sitting in a chair wearing a T-shirt bearing the emblem of Ukraine's far-right Azov battalion.

"I think PM Boris needs to listen to what Oksana (Medvedchuk's wife) has to say. If PM Boris Johnson really cares about British people as he says he will help," said Aslin, who also looked nervous.

It is known that both Pinner and Aslin fought on the Ukrainian side in Mariupol, which is now almost entirely under Russian control.