International Red Cross mission visits Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russian-controlled Donetsk and Horlivka, Donetsk Oblast

Over the course of the past month, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) representatives visited Ukrainian prisoners of war held in the Russian-occupied cities of Donetsk and Horlivka, in Donetsk Oblast. The ICRC mission is now trying to get to Luhansk Oblast.

Source: Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War on Telegram

Details: Women of Steel, a non-governmental organisation established by wives and mothers of Ukrainian soldiers, facilitated a meeting with families of soldiers serving in the Azov Assault Brigade (military unit no. 3057) at the coordination headquarters.

A spokesman for the coordination headquarters said that Ukraine does not know where some of the Azov fighters are held: after the Russian terrorist attack on Olenivka prison camp, the prisoners who were previously held there were taken to a number of different prison camps and are now held in isolation from other Ukrainian prisoners of war. Those who come back to Ukraine [through prisoner swaps between the two countries - ed.] have little to no information about where other Azov members are held.

The spokesman also noted that over the course of the past month ICRC representatives were able to visit detention facilities in Donetsk and Horlivka. They are now trying to find a way to visit Ukrainian prisoners of war held in Luhansk Oblast.

"Efforts are being undertaken to find a third country to facilitate a prisoner swap that would see the return of Azov fighters to Ukraine. We hope that Türkiye might help, because it has real leverage over the Russian Federation. Ankara has already set a precedent by participating in one of the swaps," the post shared by the coordination headquarters reads.

Previously: On 9 March, CNN reported how Russia’s siege of the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant in the strategic city of Mariupol, in southeastern Ukraine, ended in spring 2022. This was the result of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

More on this story: An Island of Hope: How the Azovstal defenders got out and where they are now

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