Ukraine is negotiating with Russia on the creation of a humanitarian corridor. In particular, it is about returning home seriously wounded, elderly people, children, military and civilian Ukrainians.
This was reported in the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
According to the Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, during the meeting it was possible to force Russia to admit that the seriously wounded must be returned to Ukraine without any conditions, in accordance with Article 110 of the Geneva Convention.
The Ukrainian side emphasized that in this case it is not about exchange, but about repatriation, and handed over to the Russian side a list with the names of 800 seriously wounded Ukrainian soldiers.
"We explained this to the Russian side. I will not say that they have already agreed and are starting to implement it, but they have recognized that it is indeed in the Geneva Convention," Lubinets noted.
Separately, negotiations are ongoing for the release of civilians who have been held captive by Russia since 2014 — this list currently includes 377 Ukrainians. The rescue of Kremlin political prisoners was also discussed. There are 158 Ukrainians, most of them are Crimean Tatars.
The Human Rights Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) noted that more than 20 000 Ukrainian families who are looking for their relatives have contacted him so far.
"This is a huge number, and no one has raised the issue of these citizens of Ukraine before the Russian side. We did it," the ombudsman noted.
In addition, they are discussing the return home of Ukrainian children illegally taken to Russia. In particular, they are solving the question of how to liberate children who have already begun to be adopted or adopted in the Russian Federation.
- Russia has confirmed that it is holding 3 392 Ukrainian citizens captive. At the same time, approximately 15 000 people, including many civilians, are currently considered missing in Ukraine.
- On January 14, Russia canceled the planned exchange of prisoners.