Ukrainian delegation presents evidence of russia’s war crimes at UN Secretariat

The delegation of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War took part in a meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, where the issue of russia's violations of the rights of prisoners of war was raised at the global level.

The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War wrote on Telegram that Ukraine presented evidence of violations of international humanitarian law by the aggressor state at the UN. The Ukrainian delegation was headed by the Minister for  Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba.

Defenders of Mariupol Illia Samoilenko and Artem Dyblenko, released from Russian captivity, representatives of public organizations of relatives of captured defenders of Ukraine, and human rights defenders participated in the meeting.

Each speaker told about the facts of the brutal, humiliating, and criminal treatment of Ukrainians in russian captivity.

"Three thousand hours of russian hell" – this is how the defender of the Azovstal plant, Artem Dyblenko, described his story of being held captive by the aggressor state.

Ihor Sybiha, a representative of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, spoke about the work of the Headquarters and cited the list of violations of the basic norms of international humanitarian law by the enemy.

According to Sybiha, in the treatment of Ukrainian prisoners, russia neglects the rights to life and proper treatment, does not provide prisoners with medical care and sufficient food, forbids contact with family and friends, continues to detain non-combatants who must be released without any conditions.

Nataliya Husak, who represented the Association of Families of Prisoners of War, called on the UN to use its influence and authority to force russia to comply with international humanitarian law and make efforts in the fight for the rescue and release of civilian and military Ukrainians.

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The Azovstal Iron and Steel Works was a metallurgical facility located in Mariupol in eastern Ukraine and one of the largest steel rolling companies in the country.

The Azovstal became a symbol of Ukrainian heroism and resistance. The plant had tunnels and bunkers capable of withstanding a nuclear attack, making it an extremely defensible position. Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers and more than 1,000 civilians resisted one of moscow's fiercest military attacks for more than 80 days.