For the first time since the start of the war, Russia has allowed a foreign representative to visit Ukrainian prisoners of war

For the first time since 2022, the Russian side has granted permission to a foreign visitor—Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the special envoy of Pope Leo XIV—to visit the detention sites of Ukrainian prisoners of war. This was reported by Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada’s Commissioner for Human Rights.

The Ombudsman received official notification of the Vatican mission’s visit following an exchange on October 23, during which 270 Ukrainian defenders and civilians were released. 

Lubinec noted that the former prisoners confirm certain improvements in their conditions of detention; however, these conditions still do not meet the requirements of the Geneva Conventions. The released Ukrainians returned from Russia in a state of severe exhaustion and reported systematic torture.

Source: Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, on Telegram.

On Friday, October 23, the third phase of a large-scale prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia took place. Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, explained why this return was historic: Ukraine managed to secure the release of the largest number of imprisoned servicemen to date.

Prior to this, as a result of repatriation efforts, the bodies of 252 deceased individuals—who, according to the Russian side, were Ukrainian servicemen—were returned to Ukraine. This was reported by representatives of the relevant Ukrainian agencies.