Ukrainian court releases jailed Russian state journalist Kirill Vyshinsky

A court in Kyiv has released Russian journalist Kirill Vyshinsky, the editor-in-chief of RIA Novosti — Ukraine, on his own recognizance. Vyshinsky was arrested by Ukraine's National Security Agency more than a year ago, in May 2018, for allegedly carrying out subversive, treasonous activities on the Kremlin's behalf.

Russian federal officials condemned the case against Vyshinsky as an illegal obstruction of journalism and the politicized, knowing prosecution of an innocent man.

In July 2019, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed readiness to free Vyshinsky in exchange for the release of Ukrainian political prisoner Oleg Senstov, who was arrested in Crimea in 2014 and sentenced to 20 years in prison for supposedly plotting a terrorist attack. Like Vyshinsky, Sentsov maintains his innocence. In 2018, Sentsov carried out a 140-day hunger strike, demanding Russia's release of all Ukrainian political prisoners.

In late August, Moscow and Kyiv are reportedly planning a large-scale prisoner swap. According to the news website RBC, each side will turn over 33 prisoners. (Vyshinsky and Sentsov were not named on this list.)