Prosecutor General: it is important not to exchange those Russian prisoners of war who can be brought to trial

Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova emphasizes that Ukraine should not exchange those Russian prisoners of war for whom there is a prospect of prosecution and trial.

In an exclusive interview with the Interfax-Ukraine agency, answering the question of how she feels about the fact that some of the Russian prisoners of war important for the Ukrainian investigation may be given away in the exchange process, Venediktova said: "We have two options - in absentia accountability and direct accountability. This is a complex legal construction - among those prisoners of war that we have, and the figure is not one that can amaze you and me, to find people who are not just combatants and fought, but committed war crimes - killed civilians, engaged in torture, rape or gave the command, carried out the bombing of obviously civilian objects.

The Prosecutor General said: "It is clear to us that this is a crime. But you need to take a specific Russian orc, say that he specifically did this and that, here is his weapon, here is a bullet from his weapon, here is a witness, here is a victim - it’s not so simple."

In this context, the Prosecutor General emphasized: "Therefore, it is very important for us that those whom we can suspect and bring to court are here and do not go for an exchange. It's a fundamental story."