Mr Mizintsev, head of the National Center for Defense Management of the Russian Federation, told Russian journalists that the Kyiv authorities allegedly disrupted the exchange of prisoners of war. He also said that the Ukrainian side rejects the Russian proposals without explanation.
In fact, the stated report is false. The essence of the problem is that the Russian side sets the following conditions for the exchange of prisoners: military – for military, civilians – for civilians. The exchange of military for civilians is prohibited by the Geneva Convention. Thus, the Russian Federation violates the norms of international humanitarian law.
In addition, Ukraine did not capture Russian civilians. But on the other side, the capture of Ukrainian civilians has been recorded almost from the first days of the war. The Russians are holding hostage not only the military, but many Ukrainian civilians: city mayors, journalists, volunteers, clergymen, and ordinary workers who have never taken up arms.
Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk appealed to the international community and human rights organizations with a demand to join efforts and seek the release of Ukrainian civilians, calling it the only way out. According to the official, there are currently about 600 Russian prisoners of war held by Ukraine, who are intended to be exchanged for Ukrainians.