The issue of the exchange of Ukrainian civilians captured by Russian occupiers remains open, Deputy Prime Minister for the Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereschuk has said.

"We have the opportunity to exchange military personnel, but now the question of what to do with our mayors, Ukrainian activists, civilians, who are actually hostages, has not been resolved. How to deal with them now and how can international humanitarian law protect them? As we do not have civilian hostages. We are not terrorists, we cannot take civilians hostage and turn them into an exchange fund," Vereschuk said during the national telethon on Friday.

She said that at present the Russian side is thinking what answer to give to Ukraine and what to report to the International Committee of the Red Cross.