Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov and journalist Roman Sushchenko, who are in prison in Russia, can exchange for Russians Alexander Baranov and Maxim Odintsov, convicted by the Ukrainian court. This was reported by the representative of the press service of the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights.

As noted, Ukraine is preparing for this exchange, for the implementation of which its participants should receive sentences in Russia and Ukraine, and then be pardoned. The fact that Odintsov and Baranov were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment a few days ago, and that the case of Suschenko has already been submitted to court, the representative of the press service of the Verkhovna Rada authorized representative for human rights sees "quite an active preparation for the exchange of Baranov and Odintsov for Sushchenko and Sentsov ".

Former Ukrainian servicemen Alexander Baranov and Maxim Odintsov, accused of moving to serve in the Russian army in the annexed Crimea, were sentenced to 13 and 14 years in prison on February 8 and 14 for desertion and treason.

Director Oleg Sentsov was abducted in the Crimea by the RF siloviki on May 11, 2014, in 2015 he was sentenced by a Russian court to 20 years in a strict regime colony on charges of creating a terrorist community on the territory of the Crimea annexed by Russia. He did not admit his guilt.

The correspondent of the agency "Ukrinform" Roman Suschenko was detained in Moscow on September 30, 2016. The FSB called him a career officer in the Ukrainian military intelligence. The journalist was arrested for two months on suspicion of espionage, then this preventive measure was constantly extended.