By KYIV. Dec 29 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The exchange of the former Head of the Opposition Platform-For Life party, businessman Viktor Medvedchuk, was arranged at the level of the Ukrainian and Russian intelligence services, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky himself gave the green light to his exchange, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak said.
"The exchange of Medvedchuk was arranged at the intelligence level. Сommunication regarding exchanges is held only at the intelligence level," he said in an interview with journalist Natalia Mosiychuk on YouTube.
Asked whether Zelensky gave the green light to this exchange, Yermak said, "Yes. Certainly."
Yermak also said he believes the Ukrainian side did not "sell Medvedchuk short" in terms of the number of prisoners released in exchange for him.
"If we take into account the fact that it all started with 50 people and was in doubt, and we returned 215 [prisoners of war], then I think no, we did not sell him short," he said.
According to the official, he did not communicate with Medvedchuk during the proceedings against latter.
"I did not even want to. Everyone worked professionally. I think that in the end he himself told the SBU everything from a procedural point of view," Yermak said.
