Ukraine will accept Belarusian political prisoners under the agreement between Zelensky and Lukashenko
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine would accept 114 political prisoners from Belarus, including Ukrainian and Belarusian citizens, at Minsk’s request.
During a press conference on December 14, Zelensky announced that negotiations on this issue were conducted at the intelligence level. The head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov informed that the Belarusian authorities expressed readiness to transfer political prisoners to Ukraine, as they did not want to organize their departure through EU countries. The president noted that Ukraine supports this step and agreed to accept all detainees.
Earlier, the office of Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya claimed that Lukashenko’s regime changed the route of exporting prisoners at the last moment, planning to send them to Lithuania instead of Ukraine. The day before this, Zelensky announced the return of five Ukrainians from Belarusian prisons.
Budanov personally met the political prisoners, the youngest of whom is 25 years old. This step is essential from a humanitarian perspective, as it ensures their safety and the opportunity to live freely in Ukraine.
| Country | Number of political prisoners | Youngest age |
|---|---|---|
| Belarus | 114 | 25 years |
