Over 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers in russian captivity – Zelensky's POW commissioner
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More than 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers are in russian captivity. Another 15,000 people are considered missing.
Rubryka reports this, referring to Aliona Verbytska, the Ukrainian President's Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of Defenders of Ukraine, in an interview with the German RND.
According to her, russia indicated that 3,392 Ukrainian defenders are in captivity. At the same time, Verbytska notes that about 15,000 soldiers and civilians are considered missing.
"We don't know what happened to them (the missing). Whether they are also russian prisoners of war, whether they were forcibly removed from russian-occupied territories, or perhaps killed long ago, such uncertainty is especially difficult for relatives," she said.
At the same time, Verbytska declares that russia continues to systematically violate the Geneva Convention and does not allow representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit prisoners of war.
Ukraine's Intelligence recently announced good news regarding the release of prisoners. Andrii Yusov, a Ministry of Defense representative, said they should be expected in the near future.
It was also reported that more than 700 fighters of the Azov Regiment that fought for Mariupol are still in captivity. They have been in russian captivity for the eighth month. The mother of POW Natalia Kravtsova reported this during the Christmas in Captivity briefing at the Ukraine Media Center.
Natalia stressed that although the defenders of Azovstal began to be exchanged, there have been no Azov fighters among them recently.
"The society has formed the opinion that the story of Azovstal is over, that all Azov fighters have already been returned or that only they are being returned. This is not true.
Currently, more than 700 Azov fighters have been in russian captivity for eight months," Kravtsova emphasized.
The mother of the Ukrainian prisoner of war added that families often do not know the fate of their relatives who were captured or disappeared.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, said on the telethon that the Ukrainian authorities constantly turn to the russian side with a proposal to carry out an exchange of prisoners in the "all for all" format but never once received consent.
"According to the Geneva Conventions, those categories with a priority right to return are clearly defined. On the one hand, these are female military service members and, on the other hand, the wounded. And we have repeatedly offered the russian federation to enter the format of an 'all for all' exchange of women, 'all for all' wounded, and they also offered to carry out an 'all for all' exchange for the rest of the servicemen," the ombudsman noted.
However, according to him, the russian side has never agreed to such formats of exchanges. He stated that there is currently no prospect of an "all for all" exchange.
Exchange of prisoners
According to the spokesman of the President of Ukraine, Serhii Nikiforov, as of December 1, 1,319 Ukrainian soldiers were freed from russian captivity.
On December 14, Ukraine conducted another exchange of prisoners with the aggressor country. Then 64 soldiers returned home, including Bakhmut's defenders and a US citizen. This was announced by the head of the President's Office, Andrii Yermak.
He noted that the fighters who fought in the Donetsk and Luhansk directions had returned home. Among them are officers, privates, and sergeants. In particular, they participated in the defense of the city of Bakhmut.
