Moscow transfers 11 prisoners of war to Hungary

Some of the soldiers captured by Russia fighting on the side of Ukraine have been transferred to Hungary, the Russian Orthodox Church claimed. This was then confirmed by Zsolt Semjén, Deputy Prime Minister of Hungary. He said that this was a “gesture of the Russian Orthodox Church towards Hungary, and these people owe their freedom to it”.

The Russian Orthodox Church claimed that some of the soldiers captured by Russia fighting on the side of Ukraine had been transported to Hungary. Later today, the information was confirmed by Hungary’s Deputy Prime Minister, Zsolt Semjén.

According to the statement of the church on Thursday evening, the prisoners of war are of Transcarpathian origin. They were transported to Hungary with the blessing of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, at the request of the Hungarian side, hvg.hu reports. The deputy prime minister, who is also responsible for church affairs, told atv.hu that this is a gesture of the Russian Orthodox Church towards Hungary. He added that these people owe their freedom to this decision.

The prisoners of war were Transcarpathian Hungarians fighting on the Ukrainian side. Semjén personally coordinated their transport to Hungary, with the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service acting as intermediary, hvg.hu informs.

Featured image: illustration, Ukraine war (MTI/EPA/Szerhij Dolzhenko)