Head of the SBU Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Hrytsak has said the militants included Head of the Ukrainian "Officer Corps" prisoner exchange center Volodymyr Ruban, who is charged with plotting a terrorist act against the country's top officials in Kyiv and a conspiracy to seize state power, in the swap list.
"We were surprised when we received information that Volodymyr Ruban was included by the 'Donetsk side' in the list of those in whom they were interested for the swap. I guess this means he is an asset for someone," he told journalists during a working trip to Cherkasy region, an UNIAN correspondent reports.
In addition, Hrytsak said that another suspect in the case, Ukrainian MP Nadiia Savchenko, had changed her lawyer.
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As UNIAN reported earlier, Ruban was detained at the Maiorsk checkpoint on the contact line with the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic" in Donetsk region.
He reportedly attempted to smuggle from the militant-held territory a huge arsenal of weapons from the militant-occupied areas into the government-controlled territory.
Ruban is being charged with preparing a terrorist attack and illegal possession of weapons. In addition, he is suspected of plotting an assassination of the president of Ukraine and a number of top officials in Kyiv.
Ruban has denied all charges, claiming he merely acted as a truck driver and knew nothing about the weapons hidden in furniture in the back of the vehicle.
On March 9, 2018, Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky district court chose a preventive measure for Ruban – 60-day imprisonment without bail.
