Russian Federation is holding more than 14 thousand Ukrainian citizens captive, - Lubinets

Russian Federation is holding more than 14 thousand Ukrainian citizens captive, - Lubinets

Russia is holding captive more than 14 thousand civilians of Ukraine.

This was announced by the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets.

According to Lubinets, this number includes Ukrainians whom Russia detained, starting in 2014, in the occupied territories of Crimea, Donetsk and Lugansk regions (Ukraine has separate lists of citizens captured there) and after the start of full-scale aggression.

Lubinets clarified that in the Kyiv region alone, which was least of all under Russian occupation, about 600 civilian citizens of Ukraine were captured.

The Ombudsman stated that civilians are the most difficult category to return from captivity. According to him, there are several reasons for this.

“First, according to international humanitarian law, we cannot conduct exchanges. This is defined exclusively for prisoners of war.

Secondly, everyone understands that we do not have many civilian Russian citizens whom Russia would like to return.

Third, court sentences. They pass huge court sentences against our civilians, accusing them of espionage, terrorist activities, financing terrorist organizations, whatever. The main thing for them is to give long prison terms: 15, 17, 18, 20, 25 years,” Lubinets said.

In particular, according to him, there are also cases when the Russians detained minor children, who are now being investigated, and who may also receive long prison sentences.

In addition, Lubinets said, it is known about two guys in Berdyansk who were shot by the occupiers. According to him, now the Russians are not even giving the opportunity to take the bodies of these two boys in order to bury them. He suggests that Russia wants to bury them secretly.