Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on partners to be more active in the issue of releasing Ukrainians, adding that at least six mayors and heads of communities are in Russian captivity.

"The other day it became known that the mayor of one of the occupied Ukrainian cities, the mayor of Dniprorudne, which is in Zaporizhia, Yevhen Matveyev, died in Russian captivity. And he was captured back in March 2022, when he tried to help people in his community. Now at least six mayors of cities and heads of communities are also in Russian captivity," Zelenskyy said at the international human rights conference Decade 2014-2024. Reclaiming Human Rights. Preserving Democracy.

According to him, Ukraine appreciates any active participation of partners, but they need to be more active in the issue of releasing all Ukrainians from Russian captivity and bringing Russian war criminals to justice.

"We need the majority of the world to be on our side in all this work and so that deportations and abductions of children never become the norm in the world. How much help do we currently receive from organizations such as, say, the UN or the International Committee of the Red Cross for protection in the return of Ukrainian prisoners from Russia? Actually, nothing," Zelenskyy noted.

He reported that 3,767 Ukrainians have already been returned from Russian captivity, and Ukraine is engaging intermediaries and seeking various political and legal negotiating opportunities for this.

"We believe that it is a crime not only that Russia is holding so many of our people captive and abusing them, but also that many in the world are still not making every effort to stop this crime, return people and punish Russia for everything its war has brought," the president emphasized.