Direct negotiations with Putin are necessary for the release of political prisoners in Crimea – Zelenskyy

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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that only direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin can resolve the issue of the release of Crimean political prisoners.

UA reports this.

“All the lists of political prisoners have been formed thanks to the work of our ombudsman. I don’t know if there are any really effective steps regarding these lists, apart from the formation. Today, apart from direct talks with the Russian president on Crimean prisoners, I see no other way out. I believe that other outcomes should be developed during the Crimea platform” – said Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with several media outlets.

The conversation took place on August 9.

On August 16, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Lenur Khalilov, Ruslan Mesutov, Ruslan Nagaev and Eldar Kantimirov – members of the so-called “Alushta group” in the fabricated criminal case of “Hizb ut-Tahrir” organization.

In August, the Crimean occupation authorities sentenced a Ukrainian citizen, Crimean Tatar Ilver Ametov, to 8 months in prison for allegedly “illegal acquisition and possession of weapons”. He has to report to the “local police department” every month, and remain in the city of Sudak. He is not allowed to leave the apartment at night as well.