Kremlin rejects idea of exchanging Ukraine’s Putin ally

The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed trading a questionable Kyiv partner of Kremlin strongman Vladimir Putin for Ukrainians kept by Russia.

Official and money manager Viktor Medvedchuk, perhaps Ukraine’s most extravagant individual, is known for his nearby connections to Putin and says the Russian chief is adoptive parent to his most youthful little girl, Darya.

Ukrainian authorities announced Tuesday they had captured Medvedchuk, 67, who escaped from house arrest after Russia sent troops to the pro-Western country on February 24.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered to swap him for Ukrainians captured by Russia.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Medvedchuk had “nothing to do with the special military operation.

“He is a foreign politician,” he told reporters, adding that the Kremlin was not aware if Medvedchuk wanted Moscow to be involved.

“Medvedchuk has never had any behind-the-scenes relations with Russia,” Peskov said, implying that he would otherwise have left Ukraine before Moscow sent in troops.

Medvedchuk is a hugely controversial figure because of his close ties to Moscow.

He had been detained at home beginning around 2021 on injustice charges over allegations that he attempted to take regular assets from Russia-attached Crimea and hand Ukrainian military privileged insights to Moscow.