Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that he cannot confirm if reports about the detention of Viktor Medvedchuk, the chairman of the political council of Ukrainian party Opposition Platform — For Life, are true.

Earlier in the day, a photo of handcuffed Medvedchuk was shared in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Telegram channel. Zelenskyy wrote that Ukraine’s Security Service has conducted a successful operation.

"I have seen Medevechuk’s [photo]. I cannot say anything, cannot confirm if this is true, therefore making a comment would be wrong," Peskov told reporters, adding that a lot of fake news is being generated.

Photo of Medvedchuk in handcuffs shared on Zelenskyy’s Telegram channel

 Earlier, a photo of detained Viktor Medvedchuk has been shared in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Telegram channel on Tuesday.

"A special operation was carried out thanks to the SBU [the Security Service of Ukraine]. Well done! Details will be revealed later," Zelensky wrote on his Telegram channel and shared the photo of Medvedchuk in handcuffs. 

Zelensky calls for an exchange

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Russia to release "prisoners of war" if it wants the Kremlin's most high-profile ally in the country, as he called him, freed, as the United States continues to feed the country with lethal weapons indicating that the war will grind on.

Zelensky suggested that Moscow replace Viktor Medvedchuk, head of the Political Council of the Opposition Platform - for Life party, with Ukrainian "prisoners of war".

"I propose to Russia to exchange Medvedchuk for our captured men in Russia. Therefore, it is important that our security services and our army study these possibilities," Zelensky said.