Russia stalls prisoner exchanges despite reached agreements – ombudsman
Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) Dmytro Lubinets states that despite reached agreements on large-scale exchanges, their implementation is being stalled by the Russian side through delays and manipulations.
"Ukraine, for its part, completes all necessary steps in advance and is ready for the rapid conduct of exchanges. Against this background, the question arises regarding the effectiveness of international institutions, which still do not provide real protection for Ukrainians in captivity," Lubinets said on Telegram.
According to him, there are clear priorities in the exchange process: "first and foremost — the return of the seriously wounded and seriously ill; the second priority — those who have been in captivity the longest should return the fastest."
"We constantly insist on a humanitarian and logical sequence in forming lists. At the same time, Russia acts according to a different logic — applying selectivity, constantly playing on emotions and turning the exchange process into a tool of pressure and manipulation," Lubinets emphasizes.
