Russia handed over to Hungary a group of Ukrainian prisoners of war from Transcarpathia. As reported on the website of the Moscow Patriarchate, the transfer took place with the participation of the Russian Orthodox Church.
“On June 8, 2023, within the framework of inter-church cooperation, at the request of the Hungarian side, a group of Ukrainian prisoners of war of Transcarpathian origin who participated in the hostilities was transferred to Hungary,” the report says.
The number of prisoners of war in question is not reported. The action was due to "the motives of Christian philanthropy," the statement says. From the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, and Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, Advisor to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', took part in it.
There is no explanation why the prisoners were transferred specifically to Hungary. As stated, the transfer took place at the request of Budapest, which means, presumably, we are talking about ethnic Hungarians from Transcarpathia.
