Ukrainian soldiers returned from Russian captivity speak of wounds, chronic diseases

Ukraine returned 22 more war prisoners from Russian captivity on August 7, which slowly turned the number of all brought troops to over 1,600. 

The soldiers can be held hostage for days without food, water, or proper medical care, says Andrii Yusov, the representative of Ukraine's intelligence.

22 Ukrainian heroes, servicemen of our forces, returned on Monday from Russia's captivity. In the footage, you could spot wounded troops. There are people with acute chronic diseases and, of course, everyone is now provided with emergency medical care and the necessary examinations are carried out, Yusov said.

Answering the question of providing Russia with sufficient medical care for the wounded, Yusov said that enemy forces don't have "the highest quality" of assistance.

Although basic medical care can be provided, in many cases Ukrainian doctors are forced to correct many mistakes. If medical care was provided correctly and on time, then our work would be much more effortless, the intelligence member said.

Yusov called this exchange, like other previous, "very difficult." Ukraine is dealing with a state that often arbitrarily interprets both international law and the Geneva Conventions, he added.

International institution do not have instruments of influence on Russia to protect the rights of war prisoners and their returnal home. Therefore, alone in a bilateral format, Ukraine continues to return our defenders, as well as illegally detained civilians from the captivity. And we will continue to do it, Yusov assured.

One of the largest PoW exchanges took place in April 2023, with Ukraine having returned 100 troops. 80 male and 20 female defenders, including nine officers and 91 privates and sergeants, fought in Mariupol, Bakhmut, Hostomel, Chonhar, the Snake Island, the Zaporizhzhia, and Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plants, among other sections of the front line.