Obudsman: 'Unfortunate' that UN report doesn't highlight positive treatment of Russian POWs

The Kyiv Independent news desk
·2 min read

A recent monitoring trip of premises for Russian prisoners of war determined that their treatment was in line with the Geneva Conventions, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported on March 28.

This comes after the UN Human Rights Office announced on March 24 that it had documented some cases of Russian POWs getting mistreated at facilities in Dnipro, Vinnytsia, and Kharkiv oblasts.

The UN acknowledged that Ukraine had provided their representatives with "unimpeded" access, while the Russian side had not.

Lubinets said it was "unfortunate" that the UN did not include the positive aspects of how Russian POWs are treated.

According to the obudsman, Russian prisoners are allowed to periodically call their families, work, watch the news, receive medical care, and even play sports during their free time.

Temperature settings are monitored in the camp and prisoners are fed on a regular schedule, Lubinets added.

Foreign journalists can obtain permission to visit Russian POW camps in Ukraine.

According to Lubinets, a team of journalists from France's TF1 journalists, along with other foreign journalists and United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross representatives, accompanied the ombudsman's team to monitor conditions.

Lubinets also emphasized the many reported cases of Russian forces mistreating Ukrainian POWs, including not only torture but insufficient food and medical care, along with not allowing them to contact their families.

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Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko