Russian President Vladimir Putin asserts that he and Poroshenko conferred over the case of the RIA Novosti Ukraine Editor-in-Chief, Kirill Vyshinsky, during a telephone conversation.

Putin said that he discussed with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko the possibility of extraditing Kirill Vyshinsky, Editor-in-Chief of RIA Novosti-Ukraine, to Russia. According to Putin, "the fate of the Russian journalist" was brought up during the last telephone conversation between the heads of state.

"We discussed issues related to the extradition of people who are being held by both sides; we have already discussed my initiative and the fate of the Russian journalist [Vyshinsky - Ed.]. It would be premature to discuss how this issue will be resolved. I would refrain, first of all, in order to not disturb or prevent anything here from stopping [these processes], "the Russian guarantor said at a press conference following a visit to China.

On June 9, Petro Poroshenko discussed the release of Ukrainian political prisoners in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian leader expressed concern over the worsening state of health of starving Ukrainians. During the conversation, the parties agreed on visits by ombudsmen from Ukraine and Russia to the imprisoned citizens.

On May 17, 2018 the Kherson City Court ordered measures of restraint against the head of RIA Novosti Ukraine, Kirill Vyshinsky, who has been declared to be suspected of high treason. The measures took the form of sixty-day period of detention in custody.

At a court session on June 1, Vyshinsky publicly announced his rejection of his Ukrainian citizenship and plead to Russian President Vladimir Putin for help. The State Migration Service (DMS) of Ukraine has explained that Vyshinsky will not be able to withdraw from his Ukrainian citizenship, as under the law, this cannot be done after the service of an official notice of suspicion or the conviction of a court.

  RIA Novosti, Putin, Poroshenko

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