Headline:
Ukraine‘s Ombudsperson Hopes for Systematic POW Exchanges with Russia in 2025
Article:
Ukraine’s Human Rights Ombudsperson, Dmitry Lubinets, has expressed optimism about the prospect of systematic prisoner-of-war (POW) exchanges with Russia in 2025. In an interview with the "Рада" TV channel, Lubinets revealed a preliminary agreement with Russia to prioritize the exchange of critically ill and severely injured detainees.
"We have a preliminary agreement that exchanges in 2025 should become systematic, with priority given to returning the most critically ill and severely injured," Lubinets said, as reported on his Telegram channel.
Additionally, they have agreed that each Ukrainian POW and civilian hostage will receive a care package from Ukraine, to be facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Lubinets’ statement follows a year in which Ukraine and Russia carried out 11 prisoner swaps, resulting in the release of 1,358 Ukrainian citizens, according to the Interdepartmental Coordination Headquarters for captured and missing persons.
While welcoming these developments, Lubinets noted, "We’ll see if the Russian side keeps its word."
As the conflict continues, these agreements could significantly ease the plight of those held captive in a long-running ordeal that has seen numerous examples of deteriorating health conditions and inhumane treatment.
