Chechen warlord Kadyrov proposes Ukrainian prisoner swap for lifting U.S. sanctions against his family
Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov has offered to free Ukrainian prisoners-of-war if the United States lifts sanctions against his family, Russian state-run propaganda agency TASS said on Jan. 5.
Kadyrov supposedly handed over a list of Ukrainian prisoners captured by Russian forces in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts to pro-Russian propagandist and convicted pedophile Scott Ritter, who was visiting Grozny, the Chechen capital.
"If they lift the sanctions against my mother, my daughters, innocent people, horses <...> except me, we will give these people back," Kadyrov supposedly said.
The Chechen warlord reportedly showed Ritter a video recording of captive Ukrainians during the transfer of the list. In a video of the meeting between Ritter and Kadyrov, the warlord offered to release 20 prisoners on the condition that sanctions against Kadyrov's relatives, his aircraft, and horses would be lifted.
Kadyrov made the offer during a muster of his security forces in Grozny, according to Russian propaganda outlet RIA Novosti.
The United States imposed sanctions on Kadyrov on Sept. 15, 2022, and included his wives Medni, Aminat, and Fatima, adult daughters Aishat, Karina, and Tabarik, as well as Kadyrov's cousin Turpal-Ali Ibragimov and a number of other individuals. His mother was later included in the sanctions list.
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