Russia has stopped returning Ukrainian women from captivity: Lubinets cited an alarming figure
There are currently 494 Ukrainian women—both military personnel and civilians—held captive in Russia. Recently, Russia has stopped returning them during prisoner exchanges altogether.
This was reported by Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada’s Commissioner for Human Rights, during a press conference.
According to him, the only large-scale exchange of women took place in October 2022, when Ukraine managed to repatriate 108 Ukrainian women held captive. Since then, the ombudsman noted, Russia has released only one or two women per exchange, and recently has not returned any at all.
“To this day, 494 women—both civilians and female service members—remain in Russian captivity. Recently, they haven’t released a single one, even though I’ve been insisting,” Lubinets said.
He emphasized that he does not understand the reasons behind the Russian side’s stance and assured that Ukraine continues to seek the return of all its citizens.
Source: hromadske.
Ukraine carried out another prisoner exchange and brought home 160 military personnel who had been held captive by Russia since 2022. Among those released are defenders from various units who fought on the front lines in the fiercest areas of combat. All of them are now back on Ukrainian soil and are receiving the necessary assistance.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, reported on a meeting with Russian Ombudswoman Yana Lantratova, during which the parties discussed additional mechanisms for the exchange of prisoners of war and other humanitarian issues.
