Another PoW swap may be held in next few weeks – Human Rights Commissioner

Dmytro Lubinets, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (the Ukrainian Parliament), says that another prisoners of war swap between Ukraine and Russia may be carried out in the next few weeks.

Source: Lubinets in the 24/7 national newscast cited by Suspilne, Ukraine's public broadcaster 

Quote: "I hope the swap process will be systematic this year.

I hope that in the next few weeks, we will make our heroes happy by bringing them back home.

There is a task to liberate all the captives."

Details: Lubinets added that within the last two weeks, there had been certain shifts in the negotiations with Russia: first, mutual visits to the prisoners of war were allowed; then, an exchange of warm clothes took place, and today, at last, the liberation of the captives occurred.

Lubinets nonetheless noted that Russia can interrupt this process at any moment.

He added that the Ukrainian defenders who came back from captivity today have been prisoners from six months to 1.5 years. They are all in bad physical condition, being exhausted and underweight.

At the same time, the process was complicated due to Russia’s intent not to conduct the PoW swap but to block the process in order to destabilise the situation in Ukraine.

Background:

• The PoW swap was blocked by Russia for a long time.
• On 3 January, Ukraine brought over 200 soldiers and civilians back from Russian captivity.

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