The Russian Orthodox Church and its Patriarch Kirill (Gundyaev) handed over Ukrainian prisoners of war to Hungary without Ukraine's approval. We are talking about 11 people.

This was reported on the website of the Moscow Patriarchate. The transfer took place on June 8.

"On June 8, 2023, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, through the mediation of the Russian Orthodox Church, a group of Ukrainian prisoners of war of Transcarpathian origin who took part in hostilities was transferred to Hungary at the request of the Hungarian side," the statement reads.

Earlier, RBK-Ukraine, citing its own sources, noted that one of the mediators of the process would be the charity organisation Maltese Aid Service of the Sovereign Order of Hospitallers.

According to the source, the expediency of such a transfer is due to the alleged "Transcarpathian origin" of the military.

"It is important to understand that all of these soldiers are Ukrainian citizens, and therefore their transfer to any third country is impossible without the consent and direct involvement of Ukraine," the source stressed.

He named several goals of the Russian Orthodox Church's action:

- to restore the lost legitimacy of the Russian church, which is subject to extensive international sanctions;

- the intention to once again play the so-called "Hungarian card";

- to actualise the imaginary problems of the alleged "Transcarpathian separatism";

- "delegitimise" the process of prisoner of war exchange.

"Of course, the release of any Ukrainian citizen from racist captivity is a positive event. But the uncontrolled transfer of our military to other countries is a dangerous path. Even though respected international organisations are involved in this," the source said.

To recap: On May 25, Ukraine returned 106 of its soldiers home. All of the 8 officers and 98 soldiers and sergeants released from captivity took part in the fighting in the Bakhmut sector, more than half of them were missing.

We also managed to repatriate the bodies of two dead foreigners and a Ukrainian woman. Some of the released soldiers have health problems.

As reported by OBOZREVATEL:

- On May 6, Ukraine conducted another prisoner exchange: 45 Azovstal defenders returned home. Among them are 42 defenders and three defenders of Mariupol, 35 privates and sergeants and 10 officers;

- among the 45 defenders of Mariupol whom Ukraine managed to return from Russian captivity on May 6, was Yevgeniy Chudnetsov, a native of Makiivka, for whom this was the second release. The Azov soldier, nicknamed "Chudik", was first captured in 2015 and spent more than two years in captivity, and was captured for the second time when Ukrainian defenders were leaving Azovstal.

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