Interfax: Poroshenko says strayed Russian paratroopers to be repatriated – Putin

SELIGER, Tver region. Aug 29 (Interfax) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that an agreement has been reached with Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko about the handover of Russian airborne troops held in Ukraine.

“We spoke about it with Petro Poroshenko, and he reassured me that the Russian military servicemen will be handed over to Russia just like we have been and are still handing over Ukrainian army servicemen,” Putin told the Seliger 2014 youth forum on Friday.

Ukrainian soldiers have also found themselves in Russia many times, “and in much greater numbers,” he said.

“Once 450 people came out, another time – another 60, and just recently – another 60, and a lot of them with guns. There were instances where they would cross into our territory in armored vehicles and with guns and say they simply got lost,” the Russian president said.

“This is true indeed. I honestly believe that they did get lost because there is no marked border there,” Putin said, adding that he considers this issue a mere technicality.

Hopefully, Ukraine will treat the Russian servicemen properly, he said.

“We provided them (the Ukrainian military) with medical aid, treated them at our hospitals, so there is every reason to hope that we will be mutually correct in this sense,” Putin said.